United States of America
CSD-13 Interactive Discussion on Water
Remarks by Aaron Salzberg, U.S. Department of State
April 13, 2005
(As prepared for delivery.)
Thank you Mr. Chairman. This two-year CSD cycle has already achieved several key goals:
progress has been assessed, gaps identified, and a user-friendly set of policy options and case
studies put forward that could advance implementation. In turn, a number of organizations ?
from both governments and civil society have come forward to identify how they can contribute
to implementation through mechanisms designed to deliver concrete results on the ground. The
next step is to consider how we can improve existing formal and informal processes to build our
capacity to support these partnerships.
We see three areas where consensus decisions by this body can advance implementation: we can
give guidance to UN Water; we can give guidance to the CSD Secretariat; and we can make
recommendations to existing processes about the important role they can play to facilitate
coordination and build and support partnerships.
Specifically, CSD 13 could ask UN Water to:
· Facilitate country level coordination among the UN agencies;
· Promote broader cooperation among the UN agencies on monitoring activities, and be the
focal point for reporting results from these activities;
· Initiate the development of multi-agency initiatives in priority areas;
· Conduct consultations with interested governments to report out on UN Water activities
and present opportunities for partnership with UN agencies on water and sanitation
activities;
· And finally, UN water should articulate the individual roles and responsibilities of the
UN agencies working on water.
CSD 13 could ask the CSD Secretariat to do the following:
· Further develop and strengthen the CSD Partnerships Database.
· Continue its efforts to develop web-based information sharing tools that disseminate
implementation-relevant information on sustainable development. In developing these
information sharing tools, the Secretariat should reach out to and cooperate with other
bodies within and outside the UN system to minimize duplication.
· Make the Matrix of Policy Options and Practical Measures a living document and
provide a mechanism for governments, international organizations, and major groups to
provide additional case studies. An extra moment on this Mr. Chairman. A number of
delegations have expressed an interest in continuing to add to the Matrix. We are
extremely pleased to see that the Secretariat has now created a web-based system for
adding case studies. We strongly hope the Matrix of Policy Options and Practical
Measures can become a living document and a formal outcome of CSD 13.
Finally, CSD 13 can make recommendations to a number of national, regional, and global
institutions and events that address water and sanitation.
· For example, the World Water Forum and Stockholm Water Week could create
opportunities for identifying gaps in implementation and tracking progress. They could
also promote the exchange of best practices and lessons learned.
· There are also a number of regional and thematic events like the Water Weeks held by
regional development banks (for example African Development Bank?s Water Week),
meetings of the African Ministers Council on Water, the Global WASH Forum, or
meetings of basin organizations such as the Nile Basin Initiative ? all meetings that
happen in the regions with implementers. We can recommend using these events as
opportunities to foster implementation on priority areas in each regions.
Mr. Chair, we have made a great deal of progress over the past two years. But this is only the
beginning. A greater role for UN Water, a more capable CSD Secretariat, and a thoughtful
consideration of how we use international and regional events to promote cooperation and
advance partnerships will help us continue this momentum.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Remarks by Aaron Salzberg, U.S. Department of State
April 13, 2005
(As prepared for delivery.)
Thank you Mr. Chairman. This two-year CSD cycle has already achieved several key goals:
progress has been assessed, gaps identified, and a user-friendly set of policy options and case
studies put forward that could advance implementation. In turn, a number of organizations ?
from both governments and civil society have come forward to identify how they can contribute
to implementation through mechanisms designed to deliver concrete results on the ground. The
next step is to consider how we can improve existing formal and informal processes to build our
capacity to support these partnerships.
We see three areas where consensus decisions by this body can advance implementation: we can
give guidance to UN Water; we can give guidance to the CSD Secretariat; and we can make
recommendations to existing processes about the important role they can play to facilitate
coordination and build and support partnerships.
Specifically, CSD 13 could ask UN Water to:
· Facilitate country level coordination among the UN agencies;
· Promote broader cooperation among the UN agencies on monitoring activities, and be the
focal point for reporting results from these activities;
· Initiate the development of multi-agency initiatives in priority areas;
· Conduct consultations with interested governments to report out on UN Water activities
and present opportunities for partnership with UN agencies on water and sanitation
activities;
· And finally, UN water should articulate the individual roles and responsibilities of the
UN agencies working on water.
CSD 13 could ask the CSD Secretariat to do the following:
· Further develop and strengthen the CSD Partnerships Database.
· Continue its efforts to develop web-based information sharing tools that disseminate
implementation-relevant information on sustainable development. In developing these
information sharing tools, the Secretariat should reach out to and cooperate with other
bodies within and outside the UN system to minimize duplication.
· Make the Matrix of Policy Options and Practical Measures a living document and
provide a mechanism for governments, international organizations, and major groups to
provide additional case studies. An extra moment on this Mr. Chairman. A number of
delegations have expressed an interest in continuing to add to the Matrix. We are
extremely pleased to see that the Secretariat has now created a web-based system for
adding case studies. We strongly hope the Matrix of Policy Options and Practical
Measures can become a living document and a formal outcome of CSD 13.
Finally, CSD 13 can make recommendations to a number of national, regional, and global
institutions and events that address water and sanitation.
· For example, the World Water Forum and Stockholm Water Week could create
opportunities for identifying gaps in implementation and tracking progress. They could
also promote the exchange of best practices and lessons learned.
· There are also a number of regional and thematic events like the Water Weeks held by
regional development banks (for example African Development Bank?s Water Week),
meetings of the African Ministers Council on Water, the Global WASH Forum, or
meetings of basin organizations such as the Nile Basin Initiative ? all meetings that
happen in the regions with implementers. We can recommend using these events as
opportunities to foster implementation on priority areas in each regions.
Mr. Chair, we have made a great deal of progress over the past two years. But this is only the
beginning. A greater role for UN Water, a more capable CSD Secretariat, and a thoughtful
consideration of how we use international and regional events to promote cooperation and
advance partnerships will help us continue this momentum.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
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