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1st
ASIA-PACIFIC WATER SUMMIT
The 1 st
Asia-Pacific Water Summit has been held on December 3-4,
2007 at Beppu International Convention Center (B-CON PLAZA)
in Beppu city, Oita Prefecture, Japan. It was organised by
the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and Summit Steering Committee
by support of the Government of Japan with a view to
ensuring opportunity to political leaders of region to
realise the importance of water problems for achievement of
MDG and the dialogue organisation between interested parties
for development of concrete recommendations for improvement
of water resources management in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Summit was spent within the framework of the
International Decade for Actions «Water for life», 2005-2015
under the theme «Water security: Leadership and Commitment».
It became one of the important decade actions devoted to
decision of water problems at so high level.
In the
Asia-Pacific region are located 49 states. The heads of ten
states and official delegations of 36 countries of region,
chiefs and representatives of the United Nations
Institutes, international organisations, scientific and
public organisations, private sector and mass-media have
taken part in the Summit work. The official delegations of
Tajikistan, headed by the President of the country,
President of IFAS H.E. Emomali Rahmon, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have represented Central Asia at
the Summit. As an active participant of the Summit work was
delegation of the International Fund for saving the Aral
Sea.
The Summit
Program included opening and closing ceremonies, plenary
session of the Heads of the states of the Asia-Pacific
region, 10 thematic sessions, exhibition and other open
events, in which frameworks speeches, presentations, panels,
discussions on three basic Priority Themes - Water
Financing, Disaster Management, Water for development and
ecosystems have taken place.
The Summit
Opening Ceremony has begun in the morning on December 3,
2007 by opening remarks of Mr Yoshiro Mori, President of
APWF, Chair of the Summit Steering Committee, Former Prime
Minister of Japan. Then the Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito
has delivered a salutatory speech. The Prime Minister of
Japan Mr. Jasuo Fukuda greeting the participants set out
three important water issues concentrated in the
Asia-Pacific region: the lack of access to safe and clean
water and adequate sanitation, countermeasures for water
disasters, and ensuring water supplies for agricultural use.
He has also underlined a key role of IWRM in decision of
these problems and has added that water issues will be one
as the major subject on the agenda of the G8 Summit to be
held next year.
Professor
Tommy Koh - Chair of APWF Governing Council has presented
work of the APWF has been doing since its creation. He has
also presented the Policy Brief of APWF, a report prepared
by APWF members, including the summary of problems in the
region, new initiatives and recommendations for further
actions in the context of three APWF Priority Themes.
Sanitary was the focus of the Keynote Speech delivered by
His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of the
Netherlands, who also serves as Chairman of the United
Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and
Sanitation. Noting that solution of water problems in both
rural and urban contexts is one of the key factors for
economic growth, the Crown Prince went on to make the link
between three Priority Themes of APWF and six areas most in
need of focus from Hashimoto Action Plan.
A
video-message from United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban
Ki-moon, who emphasized the critical nature of the region's
water problems, especially in the context of climate change,
and underlined the urgent nature of this Summit and the need
to commit to action for situation improvement, has been
presented. In his Memorial Speech the Crown Prince of Japan
Naruhito offered to create perspectives about the linkages
between water and human development, with historical
examples from Japan and its experience.
Everybody,
addressed at the Summit Opening Ceremony have noted an
exclusive role of water for achieving of MDG and human
development as a whole, as well as a priority attention to
be given to solving of water problems in the Asia-Pacific
region.
In the
afternoon before plenary session of the Heads of the Asia-
Pacific region states the Chair and Vice Chair of the Summit
have been elected. Mr. Yoshiro Mori, President of APWF,
Chair of the Steering Committee of the 1st Asia-Pacific
Water Summit has been elected as the Chair of the Summit.
H. E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of
Tajikistan, President of IFAS, and also H.E. Mr. Anote Tong,
President of the Republic of Kiribati, H.E. Lyonpo Kinzang
Dorji, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, Mr. Lim Kean,
Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology of the Kingdom
of Cambodia, Mr. Hu Siyi, Vice-Minister of Ministry of Water
Resources of the People's Republic of China have been
elected as Vice Chair of APWS.
The
Plenary session of Heads of the states has begun by address
of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, President of
IFAS H.E. Emomali Rahmon. He has noted, that attention to
water, and its irreplaceable essence is continually
increasing. It is testimony to the facts that its value can
exceed a price for oil, gas, coal and other resources, which
are necessary for sustainable development of a future life
of every country and region. Focusing on issue of access to
fresh water and sanitary, he has emphasized the actuality of
establishment of regional and international special funds
under the United Nations structure for elimination of the
difficulties concerned with access to fresh water, sanitary
and assisting in water related disasters. The President has
stressed that these problems are subjected for corresponding
to poor countries that have insignificant potential for
their solution, and therefore it will be expedient to devote
second part of the International Decade for Actions “Water
for Life” to enhancement of helping poor and underprivileged
countries.
Touching
on the issue of the Aral Sea tragedy H.E. Emomali Rahmon has
drown attention to the global problem. In the conditions of
global warming and population growth this problem is
becoming an acute issue. The Central Asia countries are not
able to withstand this challenge and there is a need in
mobilisation of efforts of the Governments of the region’s
countries, international organisations, donors, NGO, private
sector and civil community in solution of these problems.
Developing the given theme, he offered to include the
initiative of Heads of the Central Asia states in the
summary documents of the Summit, declared at the meeting in
Dushanbe in 2002 on giving a status of the United Nations
Institute to the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea
for coordination of the international organizations’ and
donors’ activity and declaring the Aral Sea Basin as a
priority pilot region for achieving of the Millennium
Development Goals. He also has noted, that calling of a
Special Event of High Officials Level within the framework
of the UN General Assembly, dedicated to discussion of
condition of water issues at global level and consideration
of concrete steps upon elimination of water problems and
adoption of International Water Convention, which would
determine universal principles of water policy taking into
account ensuring the interests of all consumers and promote
consolidation of efforts for complex solution of water
problems at global level.
As to
problems of Tajikistan, the President Emomali Rahmon in
particular has noted that the country, owing to the
geographic location, is more subjected to water related
disasters. Flood and droughts, mudflow and flashing,
avalanches and landslips are annually causing significant
damage to the national economy. A breakdown Sarez Lake with
a volume of more than seventeen cubic kilometres, located in
Tajikistan is threatening a life of 6 million people of
Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. For
neutralizing this risk but also using this object in the
favor of the people interests as well, he has proposed to
establish International Consortium on use of the cleanest
fresh water of mountainous Sarez Lake for water supply of
people in Central Asia. He laid stress on degradation of
glaciers and snowfields, which last decades in Tajikistan
high-mountains is observed. It has disastrous effects not
only for Tajikistan, but also for downstream states, whose
irrigative land development is tremendously depends on these
resources. In view of rising cases of water-related natural
disasters, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan has
decided to organize the International Conference on
Water-Related Disasters Reduction in Dushanbe next year and
invited all interested parties to take part at this event.
Finally,
H.E. Emomali Rahmon has proposed to create Central Asia
sub-regional Center of APWF in Dushanbe, which will be
promote to establish close cooperation between the Central
Asia countries and APWF and improvement of water resources
management in the Aral Sea Basin.
Leaders of
the small island states Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, Federated
states of Micronesia, Niue and Tuvalu hoped that the Summit
would mobilise an increased commitment to financial and
technical support for solving of problems connected with sea
level rise and increased cyclonic activity . These climate
change related problems are the real threat for life and
livelhoods of the population of the small island states and
consequently their solution is a prior task for all world
community. The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan has
described how climate change has led to intensive thawing of
glaciers, which in turn pose the threat of glacial lake
bursts, which affects human settlements in the downstream
valleys.
The Deputy
Prime Minister of the Kirghiz Republic Mr. Nur Uulu Dosbol
by his speech at the Summit has noted a special
vulnerability of economic system of the country to water
related disasters. He has made an emphasis on rehabilitation
of Majlisuujsk uranium tailing dumps, effecting not only for
Kyrgyzstan, but also for downstream states. Mr. Nur Uulu
Dosbol has also described hydropower problems of Kirghiz
Republic, and the steps taken by the government in the given
context, and called all Central Asia states for cooperation
regarding shared holding in the maintenance of hydrotecnical
facilities, providing water supply for neighbouring
countries. He underlined, that the Kirghiz Republic plans to
create Water-Power Academy in Bishkek and proposed to spend
in collaboration with APWF the Water-Power Summit.
The
Secretary General of UNESCO Mr. Koichiro Matsuura has
focused on four main components of UNESCO’s fresh water
action which can make an important contribution to solution
of water problems of region. They are the World Water
Assesment Program, World Hydrological Program, Institute for
Water Education and Network of seventeen water related
centres that operate under the auspiece of UNESCO.
All the
speeches in the plenary have identified climate change as a
critical challenge to effective and sustainable water
resources management and this clearly demonstrates the need
to include adaptation to climate change into the programs
and action strategies for solution of water problems in the
Asia-Pacific region.
Within the
framework of the Summit, several thematic sessions devoted
to Priority Themes and Key Results Areas of APWF, and the
actual water related problems have taken place. Within these
sessions have been discussed the regional and national water
problems and ways of their solution. In particular, a
special importance was attached to issues of access to
water, especially drinking quality, adequate sanitary,
degradation of environment, water pollution, water
financing, stress of monitoring fund, water related
disasters, integrated water resources management, global
climate change consequences, etc.
In the
session on «Climate Change, Glaciers and Water Resources in
the Himalayan» have been discussed the questions connected
with intensive thawing of glaciers, caused by global climate
change, and improvement of regional cooperation of the
countries of the Himalayan region to gather and share
information for assessing and monitoring of climate change
and its consequences for water resources management of
region.
The
Roundtable «CEO’s Water Mandate» which brought together
heads and leaders of the various organizations and
corporations to review the Asia Pacific Water Scenario, with
a focus on the challenges that are having a grooving impact
on their activity and communities, as well as to identify
new opportunities for successful development.
The
session on «Monitoring of Investments and Results in Water»
has focused on taking urgent measures to improve policy for
the regional and national monitoring of investments and
results and to link this monitoring and priority issues such
as investment and its impact on IWRM, water and sanitation.
In the
Regional Launch of the International Year of Sanitation -
2008, the participants have recognized that sanitation is
fundamental for achievement of MDG. The participants called
the Governments of the region’s countries to enhance efforts
for implementation of the Hashimoto Action Plan; they also
requested the Government of Japan to include sanitation
issue on the agenda of the 2008 Toyako G8 Summit to be held
next year.
The
session on «the Small Island's Dialogue on Water and
Climate» was devoted to the vulnerability of small island
countries to the sharp climate changes and the need of
effective water resources management in such conditions.
One of the main discussion points included the need to
change the paradigm for influence on vulnerability of small
island states from countermeasures for disaster to reduction
of disaster risk and disaster management.
The main
emphasis in the session «Commitment for Ensuring Water
Security in the Aral Sea Basin- Cooperation versus
competition» has been made on aggravated problem of drying
of the Aral Sea, degradation of glaciers in a zone of flow
formation, and the difficulties to balance demands of
different water users, such as irrigation, hydropower and
environment. During discussion, it has been noted that the
Central Asia region has a rich human potential, improved
regional cooperation and a wide experience, which can
contribute to problems solution. The participants hoped that
the Summit would promote attraction of the world community
to solution of the Aral Sea Basin problems for ensuring
water security in region.
The
session on «Water-Related Disaster Management» focused on
challenges of Integrating Water-related Disaster Risk
Reduction into national development plans and the impact of
disasters on women and solution of gender issues in further
in the context of Disaster Risk Reduction. The participants
called for the recognition of adaptation to increasing risks
from climate change as an issue of the highest priority.
The
session on «Water for Development and Ecosystems» was
devoted to discussing how to secure water for long-term,
multi-sectoral needs, providing development and
sustainability of the environment. The session has
acknowledged the importance of empowering local actors and
fostering good governance for creating win-win situations in
the region, and some recommendations for the further actions
were offered.
The main
subject of session «Leadership for Ensuring Water Security
in the Asia Pacific Region: Knowledge, Financing and
Capacity Development» was recognizing that investment in
water sector is to invest in poverty reduction. The session
has discussed various finance mechanisms, such as proper
cost sharing between the governments and users, the
utilization of the additional resources accrued from the
recent rapid economic growth for much needed works as
sewerage, sanitation and agriculture.
The
session devoted to «Increasing Capacity for Local Actions»
has presented a series of concrete initiatives, including
creation of capacity building hubs for increasing of local
capacity. These hubs will serve as an active link between
NGOs, civil society and local governments to support of
activity in the context of three APWF Priority Themes.
All these
events were fundamental for progress achievement under three
Priority Themes and five Key Results Areas of the Asia
Pacific Water Forum. Following the results of the Summit the
new concrete initiatives were announced, which provide
progress in decision of region’s water problems, social and
economic development, improvement of life and livelihood of
hundreds millions people. All participants of the Summit
have a common opinion that one of the main aspects of
improvement of water resources management, needed for
achievement of MDG and ensuring water security in region -
is political will of leaders of the countries, and it is
gratifying that the Summit became one of the important
events in mobilization of efforts of country’s leaders of
the Asia Pacific region in this direction.
After
completion of thematic sessions in the afternoon on December
4, 2007 it was be held the Summit closing ceremony, where
reports of organizers of thematic sessions, addresses by the
representatives of the American and European continents, and
also a member of Organizing Committee of the V World Water
Forum, invited all to take part in work of the given Forum
to be held in March 2009, in Istanbul, Turkey, have been
heard. Mr. Hu Teng Chu, the representative from Singapore
has declared that the next Asia Pacific Water Summit will
take place in 2008, in Singapore and invited all to
participate in this important water event.
Mr. Ravi
Narayana and Ms. Erna Witoelar, Vice-Chair of the Governing
Council of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum have read out
Chair’s Summary and Massage from Beppu, prepared following
the results of the Summit. Mr. Yoshiro Mori, the President
of APWF has expressed a gratitude to all participants of the
Summit, and especially to the Heads of the states, taken
part in the Summit, and hoped that the Summit becomes the
important step to solution of water challenges for ensuring
security and prosperity of the people living in the
Asia-Pacific countries.
During the
Summit the International Water Exhibition in which have
taken part more than 50 various international and regional
organizations has been organized. The International Fund for
saving the Aral Sea has presented at the Summit a
photo-exhibition devoted to the Aral Sea Basin problems and
a number of publication materials on these problems. At an
exhibition has also participated the Ministry of melioration
and water resources of Tajikistan, presented an exposition
under the general name «Tajikistan - country of water
resources» |
