Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-03-11-Speech-3-455"
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"− Madam President, first of all I would like to convey the apologies of my colleague, Louis Michel, for not being able to be here in person, as he is in the Congo. However, it is with great pleasure that I will take up the points, because they are so important.
I am pleased to announce that the Water Facility will continue under the 10
European Development Fund and that EUR 200 million has been set aside for that purpose. Member States are invited to participate with additional funding.
The Commission’s strategy is based on an integrated framework for collaboration with partner governments, EU Member States and all the stakeholders concerned.
The Water Facility complements the national programmes with its capacity to work with decentralised actors and develop innovative solutions. The ongoing preparation of the 10
EDF Water Facility identifies in particular the potential offered by public water operators, who provide over 90% of water and sanitation services globally.
Therefore, public-public partnerships potentially constitute a very cost-effective approach in terms of promoting the relevant ‘good governance’ principle in the ACP water sector, with potentially long-term and sustainable impacts on institutional and organisational change. Such ‘twinning’ partnerships – for instance through training and technical assistance – can be efficient ways to promote the principles of good governance in the water sector in ACP countries.
Finally, let me confirm that aid effectiveness and the division of labour are discussed with relevant partners within the mechanisms of the EU Water Initiative. A mapping of EU Development Assistance in the water sector has been carried out to improve that ongoing dialogue. The question of donor orphans is an important one in the water sector and the Commission intends to take this into account in the conception of the new Water Facility under the 10
EDF.
The Commission fully agrees that water and sanitation service provision is naturally addressed at the local level, through local government, municipalities and communities. We have to recognise, however, that weaknesses exist between those different levels, most notably in weaker countries where the provision of basic services is not a strong priority.
Last year, the European Development Days here in Strasbourg focused on the role of local authorities, who are at the heart of access to essential services, as well as on the importance of local governance and the participation of citizens. This is obviously a central issue for the water sector and the Commission, through its different instruments, is working to increase support to local authorities and reinforce partnerships between local actors from the North and the South.
At EU level, European water policy is also based on the principle of good governance, encouraging the involvement and participation of citizens, local communities, NGOs and stakeholders. This is reflected not only in the Water Framework Directive but also in initiatives such as the EU Water Initiative launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, which contains the reinforcement of the role of local actors among its objectives.
In Africa, where the Millennium Development Goals linked to water and sanitation are still not on track, investments need to increase, and the Commission has demonstrated its political commitment by creating a financial mechanism.
The Water Facility of half a billion euros has enabled mobilisation of double that amount through cofinancing of a large number of programmes to improve the water, sanitation and hygiene situation of millions of people. It has also improved water governance and management in ACP countries. The focus on the involvement of local actors has been one of the added values of this facility.
The EU will be represented at the Ministerial Segment of the World Water Forum by the current Czech Presidency. The statement that is being prepared includes references to the need for good governance through capacity development and institutional reform at all levels.
The Commission’s policy, approved in 2002, promotes integrated water resources management in developing countries. It is in this framework that the different uses of water – such as drinking water, sanitation, irrigation etc. – have to be addressed, in order to reach an optimal allocation of benefits among all users.
Moreover, the best practices of different experiences of green belts around cities, particularly in Africa, are currently being analysed in the context of the ‘Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel’ initiative as part of a feasibility study supported by the European Commission. Further support to this initiative will be considered within the framework of the Africa-EU Partnership on Climate Change."@en1
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