AFRICAN MINISTERS IN CAPE TOWN RESOLVE TO PROMOTE PARTNERSHIP FOR WATER IN CITIES
Press Release
HAB/148
DEV/2180
AFRICAN MINISTERS IN CAPE TOWN RESOLVE TO PROMOTE PARTNERSHIP FOR WATER IN CITIES
19971217 CAPE TOWN, 11 December (Habitat/UNDP) -- "Securing for all the basic human need of a reliable supply of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and meeting the competing demands of productive enterprises are crucial to sustainable urban development, economic growth and social stability in the region, requiring priority action of governments of countries in the region", said 20 ministers from African countries, in their "Cape Town Declaration", issued earlier today.The Declaration was the outcome of a Ministerial Roundtable chaired by Kader Asmal, the Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry of South Africa.
The three-day meeting organized by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ended today after adopting the Cape Town Declaration and guidelines for action. Some 200 delegates from 30 African countries and 11 other countries, as well as senior representatives of 15 external support agencies -- including the United Nations and Bretton Woods institutions -- attended the consultations. Among its participants were 20 ministers, several mayors and senior local and national government representatives, leaders of industry, officials of investment funds and commercial banks, and international and country-level non-governmental organizations active in the water sector.
The consultations focused on three key issues: community participation, financing, and risk management in the water sector. Addressing community issues, they called for a new vision in support of partnership approaches to community-based water and sanitation. They also noted many examples from such African countries as Ghana, South Africa and Zambia, of community initiatives to participate financially, and with entrepreneurship, in the provision of water and sanitation services for the poor. One of the main issues was support from municipalities and governments at all levels in such areas as access to institutional credit and security of tenure.
One of the myths challenged was that the urban poor are unwilling to pay for services. Several well-documented case studies showed how the poor were paying several times more for inferior services than their more affluent neighbours with respect to public water supply systems.
- 2 - Press Release HAB/148 DEV/2180 17 December 1997
In a well-attended press conference, held on Tuesday, 9 December, Darshan Johal, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Executive Director of Habitat, said the outcome of the consultations will be presented both to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, as well as to Habitat.
Mary M. Nagu, Minister for Community Development, Women Affairs and Children, of the United Republic of Tanzania, also spoke at the press conference. She expressed the political resolve and solidarity of African countries in dealing with the growing urban challenge and emphasized the important role of women in the water sector.
Mr. Asmal emphasized the need to find African solutions to African problems in the water sector, and to sustainable development in general.
For further information, please contact: Kalyan Ray, UNCHS (Habitat), P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi, Kenya (tel: 254-2-623039; fax: 254-2-624265/623588; e-mail: kalyan.ray@unchs.org).
* *** *