PRESS CONFERENCE BY SOUTH AFRICA'S MINISTER FOR WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SOUTH AFRICA'S MINISTER FOR WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY

South Africa's Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry, Kader Asmal, told correspondents this morning at a Headquarters press conference that increasing population and rapid urbanization were threatening freshwater supplies in Africa.

Speaking at a press conference that was also attended by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Klaus Topfer, and the Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), Darshan Johal, Mr. Asmal said the economic and social development of Africa depended on the availability of fresh water.

Saying that addressing the question of freshwater availability should be a political priority of governments and the international community as a whole, Mr. Asmal called for a coordinated technical assistance programme to address the problem. South Africa hoped that the current session of the Commission on Sustainable Development would help make the challenge of managing water in African cities a priority. Governments had not up till now given water a priority both in terms of investments and pollution control. Governments should realize that infrastructure development should not only involve small public works projects but water-related projects as well. The Commission should use the session to educate governments.

However, he expressed optimism that governments throughout the world were beginning to recognize the seriousness of freshwater supplies problems. They saw it fit to send their senior ministers to the session. It was an index of the seriousness accorded the problem. Water was a scarce resource, and it had to be taken seriously.

Drawing attention to last year's "Capetown Declaration" on partnership in the water sector for African cities, he said there was a growing consciousness of the importance of water. The freshwater crisis in Africa had enormous dimensions. Most cities did not have the capacity to meet freshwater needs. Today's meeting of the Commission would address the subject of implementation of the Capetown Declaration. Targeted interventions must be worked out. Routine declaratory resolutions were not the answer.

The Capetown Conference devoted a great deal of attention to private- sector involvement. It emphasized the need for bilateral and multilateral assistance in human resource development and in service provision in urban areas. Governments would continue to play a role in service provisions either alone or in partnership with the private sector.

He said participants at the Capetown Conference agreed that the provision of water and sanitation in African cities was a priority. International support must be mobilized to deal with the crisis of water supplies in Africa. It was in the interest of everyone to address the problem.

Mr. Topfer, UNEP Executive Director, said freshwater supplies in cities was one of the most important problems facing mankind today. Africa was experiencing the highest rate of urbanization in the world. By the end of the century, more than half of the world's population would be living in urban areas. By the year 2030, two thirds would be living in cities. Between 1960 and 2025, renewable freshwater supplies were likely to drop by 80 per cent per capita, especially in Africa. The challenge was in how to manage water sustainably. International cooperation, especially in the scientific field, was needed. Concrete pilot projects should emerge from today's meeting.

Mr. Johal, Habitat Acting Executive Director, reminded correspondents about the upcoming "World Habitat Day" on 5 October. The global celebration would be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, under the theme "Safer Cities". A series of discussions and other activities in Dubai and in many other cities throughout the world would address the theme. On that occasion the Building and Social Housing Foundation of the United Kingdom would give its annual awards, known as the "Annual Habitat Awards", and Habitat would present its scroll of honour to this year's winners.

Still on the celebration, Mr. Johal said the Dubai Municipality had kindly agreed to give Awards to 10 initiatives which had made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life in urban and rural communities. Each award carried a $30,000 prize, a trophy and a commemorative certificate. The Municipality would also sponsor the travel and accommodation costs of two persons directly involved in each initiative to collect the award.

Asked what freshwater targets would be set at today's meeting, Mr. Asmal said the issue of peaceful settlement of disputes over cross-border water courses would be discussed. The international community must take the tension out of water management between States. Most of the water courses in South Africa, for instance, were trans-boundary. The present Government in South Africa had to change the country's laws to reflect the interests of its neighbours.

A correspondent asked if the Commission would be discussing the misuse of fresh water. Mr. Asmal said his country was addressing the problem. South Africa was a microcosm of the third world. Half of its population did not have access to sanitation.

Highlighting his country's achievements, he said the current Government had in four years supplied water to 2 million people. However, it had not

Water Press Conference - 3 - 30 April 1998

begun to deal with sanitation because it was expensive. Water-borne sanitation could not be afforded. South Africa would have to work out dry methods. The United Nations system must give priority to sanitation.

Reacting to the issue of the costly nature of water-borne sanitation, Mr. Topfer said sanitation technologies were developed in countries where water was never a problem and was always subsidized. It was also necessary to develop the best link between pesticides and water. The UNEP had finalized the so-called prior inform consent convention under which specific pesticides could not be exported to developing countries without their consent. In June, this year, UNEP would start the negotiations concerning persistent organic pollutants, which were the most difficult chemical substances.

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