Creating a global water partnership : a discussion paper

In response to the threat of water scarcity and water pollution in developing countries local, national, and international organizations are placing increasing emphasis on improving water policies, strategies, and management programmes. This paper proposes the creation of a "Global Water Partnership", spearheaded by UNDP and World Bank, to address water issues effectively in individual countries and on a global basis. The partnership would be based on the Dublin/Rio principles; namely, water must be managed in a holistic way, devolved to the lowest appropriate level, as an economic as well as a basic human need resource, and women must play an important role in water resources management. This discussion paper analyses the growing water crisis including an analysis of inefficient and poorly managed water use, the changing demands in the way water projects are carried out in developing countries, the current UNDP/World Bank Collaborative Programs, and the need for a more comprehensive and integrated framework for global water programmes. It then outlines the proposed global water partnership to assist countries in effectively addressing their water crises. It details the objectives of building national and local capacities, supporting sustainable investments, and incorporating learning into implementation. It outlines the chief features of the proposed partnership including an emphasis on building operational alliances, the use of UNDP and World Bank core contributions to provide overall coordination, and the direct delivery of services on the ground in developing countries. It states that initially the partnership's programmes would focus on capacity building, irrigation and drainage, water and sanitation, and water resources assessment and strategy. The paper also includes details of the global water partnership's organization, financial plan, and timetable. It concludes that the partnership would influence and improve global water policies, generate investment projects in the water sector, build on existing UNDP and World Bank cooperative programmes, take responsibility to arrange the financial foundation for the partnership, and support development cooperation in the global network.