EU finances water management in 14 ACP states [1]
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - 18:53. Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 16:25.
The Director of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), Cristelle Pratt and the Head of the European Commission (EC) Delegation for the Pacific, Wiepke Van der Goot, today signed a funding agreement for Euro 2.8 million (F$ 6.3 million) to improve the governance of water resources in Pacific Island Countries.
The "Pacific Regional Action Plan for Sustainable Water Management" will be implemented in 14 Pacific ACP States including Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Speaking at the official signing ceremony this afternoon, Pratt highlighted the need for Pacific Island countries to better manage their water and natural resources.
"Clearly we cannot over-emphasise the opportunities that an integrated and coordinated approach to developing and managing our water, land and related resources offers us and it is critical if we are to amongst others achieve sustainable economic development, allow our people to live in a certain quality of life, address some of the education and health challenges that confront us as well as achieve the commitments that we have made in respect of the MDG targets that have been set for 2015 in relation to access to safe drinking and basic sanitation."
The funding, which is being made available under the European Union's (EU) Water Facility, will support the Pacific Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Programme, administered by SOPAC.
Goot said that the overall object of the water facility is to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development through the achievement of the specific Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) targets on water and sanitation.
"The water facility tries to reach these objectives by boosting sustainable delivery of water and sanitation and by improving water governance and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) practices in ACP countries through helping to close financial gap."
The water priorities of Pacific Island Countries have been articulated in the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Sustainable Water Management, endorsed by the region...s Heads of State in 2003. The EU-funded water programme is founded on this strategy, and takes a holistic approach to managing water through improving the assessment and monitoring of water resources, reducing water pollution, improving access to technologies, strengthening institutional arrangements, and leveraging additional financial resources in support of IWRM.
According to Pratt, the Pacific was well represented at the first Asia Pacific Water Summit held in Beppu Japan last week showing strong support for water management.
"Pacific Heads of State and Minister of various Pacific Governments in so far as the management of their water resources is being acknowledged by them as a national imperative for governance, security and sustainable development."
"This in itself is a large part of the battle won as advocacy, awareness and political commitment such development challenges are absolutely critical," she said.
In order to safeguard the sustainable access to water and sanitation for Pacific Islanders, the IWRM programme will support countries in their efforts to engage with civil society, and jointly develop and implement water policies and strategies through consultation with relevant government departments with attention to health, agriculture, tourism, environment, water supply and other uses. SOPAC, 11/12/07.