Water for Life Martin Walshe Senior Water Advisor, Policy Division Department for International Development

Exploration of Mars

Seeping groundwater? Gullies proposed to have been formed by seeping groundwater

Water in Context 20% world’s population lacks access to safe water 60% of people in developing countries do not have adequate sanitation water is essential for food production, industry and livelihoods water is essential for sustaining ecosystems current patterns of water use are not sustainable with increasing water scarcity

The Dublin Principles 1.Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource essential to sustain life, development and the environment. 2.Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policymakers at all levels. 3.Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water. 4.Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognised as an economic good.

Integrated Water Resource Management

WEHAB - A Framework for CSD Water Agriculture Energy Biodiversity & Ecosystems Health & Environment

Policy Agenda Recognise the importance of water and its fundamental contribution to sustainable development. The contribution of water to poverty reduction will only be realised if it is set in the broader context of social and economic development and environmental improvement. Water as the engine for economic development for poverty reduction

The Challenge Creating better enabling conditions and capacity for sector development: –Good governance; legal & regulatory structures; decentralization; fiscal policies/incentives; –Strong institutions at all levels –Sufficient capacity in sector management and operations –More cost effective, affordable choices –Consumer/community involvement; pro poor policies –Financial sustainability, cost recovery, subsidy –Public-private or public-public partnerships on all levels –Knowledge

World Development Report 2004

Combining Sector Frameworks Health policy-maker Health provider Health Poor citizens are clients of all services Water provider Water policy-maker Water Energy Energy provider Energy policy-maker

The WSS/MDG Advocacy & Planning Challenge Putting the traditional sector reform/development challenge into an MDG context requires: Convincing countries to buy into the MDG challenge Revising current sector plans in response to MDG targets Preparing action plans and road maps Dealing with the forecasting issues: data failure, baseline, monitoring Getting stakeholders to agree on one shared strategy Pushing for implementation

To Conclude Key issues: More effective ways of mobilising financing at a global level that are linked to the development of effective water sector strategies and policies Building the capacity to manage water infrastructure effectively and sustainably Governments must have the capacity to manage the increased investment in water and sanitation that is needed The reforms and capacity building necessary for integrated management of water resources and to provide water and sanitation services

Finally The contribution of water to poverty reduction will only be realised if it is set in the broader context of social and economic development and environmental improvement and this is recognised in developing countries’ poverty reduction strategies and sector plans.