African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

PREFACEThe general level of water resourcesdevelopment for meeting the needs of theAfrican populace (for potable drinking, foodsecurity and other necessities of human life) isstill very low. This situation could be a blessingin disguise if proper policy frameworks forplanning, development, and management ofwater resources in African countries can bedevised, taking advantage of the advancementin water science and technology and also thepositive and negative experiences of thetechnologically-advanced countries throughappropriate knowledge and technology transfermechanisms. It is well known that the levels ofscientific and technological tools for harnessingthe resources of water bodies in its many formsof occurrence (rivers, lakes, seas and others),have exerted decisive influence on thedevelopment of human society and determinedthe level of general socio-economicdevelopment. It is therefore obvious that anyaccelerated development in Africa would, to avery large extent, depend on how effectivelyAfrican countries are able to harness their waterresources for a sustainable socio-economicdevelopment and, above all, for the eradicationof endemic poverty without impairing theenvironment.As we observed in the interim report of theAfrican Water Development Report (AWDR),never in the history of the tortuous efforts inAfrica aimed at reversing decades of endemicpoverty and pervasive underdevelopment inAfrica has the realization of the cardinal role ofwater in socioeconomic development been sohigh as at present. This positive trend has beenachieved through decades of International andAfrican concerted efforts at evolving policiesand strategies for effective water resourcesdevelopment and management, culminating inthe adoption of the Dublin Principles ofIntegrated Water Resources Management.These processes can generally be referred to asthe “Water Journey from Rio toJohannesburg”. It is within this process thatthe African Water Vision 2025 was launched atthe 2 nd World Water Forum at The Hague in2000, with the following message:“An Africa where there is an equitable andsustainable use and management of waterresources for poverty alleviation, socioeconomicdevelopment, regional cooperation,and the environment”.In recognition of the growing water crisis theworld over, the United Nations familyorganizations launched a system-wide projectcalled the World Water AssessmentProgramme (WWAP) to develop tools andskills that would foster a better understandingof the basic processes, management practicesand policies that ensure that clean and sufficientwater is available to all in a sustainable manner.The World Water Development Report(WWDR) was also instituted to publish, atregular intervals, the main trends and results ofthis process. It is intended to provide decisionmakersat continental, sub-regional, regional,national and river basin levels with informationthat can be used at various levels to governwater wisely. The first WWDR was publishedin March 2003.Due to the particular problems of waterresources development and management inAfrica, the Inter-Agency Group on Water inAfrica (now referred to as UN-Water/Africa),took a challenging decision in April 2001 inNiamey to develop an African WaterDevelopment Report (AWDR). The AWDRwould afford African countries and otherstakeholders the necessary tools and skills tomonitor the goals and targets of the AfricanWater Vision, concisely formulated as follows:Water can make an immense difference toAfrica’s development if it is managed welland used wisely. Given clear policies andstrategies and real commitments toimplementation, we can use water to helperadicate poverty, reduce water-relateddiseases and achieve sustainabledevelopment.