The EU
Water Initiative was launched following the suggestion of Denmark at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002). The EU Water Initiative is directed at
several geographical regions: Africa, Mediterranean, Latin America, and Eastern Europe,
Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA).
“Strategic Partnership on Water for Sustainable
Development” between EU and countries of EECCA aims to overcome problems in water sector
in EECCA region, since in present these problems are being addressed through various
programs and projects which often lack coordination among themselves.
EECCA component consists of two priority thematic
components: 1) Water supply and sanitation, including financing of water
infrastructure; and 2) Integrated water resources management, including transboundary
river basin management and regional seas issues.
Each thematic component builds on so called “building
blocks” – projects and activities which will be implemented in the framework of
the initiative. Building blocks may include acting and planned networks, associations,
projects and programmes (incl. those which currently do not have funding).
At the First High-Level Meeting on EU-EECCA
Water Initiative in Moscow, 5-6 March 2003, the participants established working groups to
develop various areas of the Water Initiative. During the round-table concerning the
participation of non-governmental actors in the Water Initiative, organized by Eco-Accord
Center at the High-Level Meeting, the participants stressed that non-state sector can
implement specific projects at national, local (especially in rural areas) and regional
levels; participate in the development and implementation of building blocks submitted by
governmental and other authorities; develop and submit its own building blocks; widely
disseminate information about the implementation of Water Initiative; monitor current
projects and suggest alternative solutions to achieve agreed goals.
At the “Environment for Europe” conference in
Kiev (21-23 May 2003) the Environment Ministers approved the Water Initiative. The
participants of consultations, organized by European ECO-Forum’s EAP Issue Group in the
beginning of 2003, also stressed the importance of the Water Initiative. In Kiev,
citizens’ organizations united in European ECO-Forum welcomed the open character of the
development of this initiative and stressed that further development of Water Initiative
should continue as clear, transparent and accessible process at all stages, starting from
defining priorities for Water Initiative in every country and coming to NGO participation
in the implementation of building blocks. European ECO-Forum suggested the development and
implementation of effective public participation mechanism in the Water partnership in
conformity with the principles of Aarhus Convention.
The Second High-Level Meeting took place in
Moscow on 26-27 February 2004. The participants discussed building blocks submitted by
various actors. After the First High Level Meeting (Moscow, 5-6 March 2003), some 270
building blocks were submitted. Around 15% of blocks refer to Central Asia, 13% - the
Caucasus, 31% - Russia and 19% - Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.
Non-governmental organisations prepared two
presentations for the Second High-Level Meeting. Eco-Accord Center (Russia) presented the
data of the Review of Building Blocks Submitted by Citizens’ Organisations. The Review
stresses the lacks of participation of citizens’ organisations of Central Asia and the
Caucasus in submission of building blocks. It also notes that a limited number of
organisations from other EECCA countries participated in submission of building blocks.
The Review describes typical topics of building blocks of citizens’ organisations:
raising awareness, public participation, and capacity building; activities in specific
basins; large-scale works and research; access to drinking water.
At the special session on awareness and education in
water issues, NGO “Ecoline” (Belarus) presented the outcomes of an independent survey.
Representatives of NGOs from 11 countries took part in the survey. The survey describes
the existing level of public awareness and education in water issues as insufficient in
all EECCA countries.
The issue of financing was a key topic at the meeting.
The outcomes of a Donor Survey showed the tendency of decreasing donor assistance (-17%).
However representatives of Western countries stressed that this picture was not adequate
since many countries had not decided yet on the figures of assistance and projects to be
financed. The participants had an opportunity to see a presentation of the Regional TASIC
Programme where the European Commission allocated 35 mln. euro for water projects in
2004-2006.
The participants discussed the results of the survey on
the state of preparedness of Integrated Water Resource Management plans in EECCA
countries. Such plans should be developed by all countries by 2005, in accordance with the
outcomes of Johannesburg Summit. The main conclusion of this survey (implemented by the
Global Water Partnership and Denmark) is that IWRM is not a priority for policy and
practice of governance and development in EECCA countries. Another report, prepared by
COWI company, shows that achieving by 2015 the MDG target on water and the target on
sanitation in EECCA countries would require 5-14 bln. euro (for water target) and 2-7 bln.
euro (for sanitation target). During the discussion of financial issues, it was several
times highlighted that the main part of funding should come from the EECCA countries
themselves. The meeting also discussed the development of effective finance strategies,
aimed to ensure efficient use of domestic resources, to mobilise additional resources and
to introduce/improve strategic planning.
