HOME About UNSGAB NEWS Meeting History Dialogue HAP Implementation Documents Links

Meeting History

2nd Meeting of the Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation

(UNSGAB)

December 9-10, 2004
Tokyo, Japan
Meeting Summary


1. Opening

The second session of the Advisory Board took place on December 9th and 10th, 2004 at the Tokyo Development Learning Center in Tokyo, in conjunction with the International Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, thanked the Board's members for their commitment and continued support in his message delivered by Mr. Patrizio Civili, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs. Mr. Annan invited the Board to make recommendations for means of (1) expediting efforts to reach the internationally agreed goals on safe drinking water, sanitation and integrated water resources management; (2) facilitating countries' preparation for IWRM plans by sharing their ideas and vision with the Member States; and (3) devising better water management strategies that promote both equitable access and adequate supply.
>>Read full text (English/ French/ Spanish)

Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, Chairman of the Board, highlighted the need for drastic solutions to minimize the risks associated with water-related disasters and encouraging every government to ensure that all countries prepare an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan by 2005. He emphasised the Board's responsibility for undertaking concrete actions to achieve internationally agreed-upon goals.
>>Read full text (English/ French/ Spanish)

Mr. Patrizio Civili outlined the challenges facing the Board, introducing key questions for discussion in three thematic working groups. He invited the Board to provide strategic advice to the Secretary General as to how to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the internationally agreed-upon goals and to identify key interventions that governments and global community could make to achieve these goals.

This was followed by a presentation by Mr. William Cosgrove on the outcome of the International Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management held in Tokyo from December 6 to 8. He outlined the key messages that came out of the seven sessions of the conference, and presented the Recommendation on IWRM and Water Efficiency Plans adopted during the conference. The Recommendation is intended for submission to the 13th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD13).

Mr. Manuel Dengo, Chief of Water Natural Resources & Small Island Developing States Branch Division for Sustainable Development, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, made a presentation on the bi-annum work program of UN-Water. He emphasized the program's linkages with water and sanitation goals within the context of CSD13.

Mr. Muneharu Nakagai, Mayor of Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, made a presentation on the recent flood disaster in the city. He outlined the various forms of flood damage caused by Typhoon No. 23 when it struck Japan, and emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness from the aspect of physical infrastructure, as well as institutional framework, awareness and mind-set.

In addition to those opening presentations, Mr. Kalyan Ray, Chief of the Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Branch, UN-HABITAT, presented via video link the outcome of the global WASH Forum that took place from November 29 to December 3, 2004 in Dakar, Senegal. He outlined the Dakar Statement adopted at the Forum and had a brief discussion with the Board members.

2. Outcome of the Meeting

The Chair designated the Chairpersons for the three thematic working groups and the members agreed to continuing appointments as follows: Ms. Juanita Castano for thematic group 1, "Commitment"; Ms. Judith Rees for thematic group 2, "Mobilization"; and Ms. Margaret Catley-Carlson for thematic group 3, "Integrated Water Resources Management".
>>See Structure of Thematic Working Groups (English/ Spanish/ Japanese)

Recommendations to the Secretary General and actions to be taken by the Advisory Board are to be discussed in each thematic group session. The Board agreed to actively intervene to enhance the efforts of the UN, international society, and nations, and to accelerate global progress with respect to the internationally agreed-upon goals on water. The Board stressed the importance of effective monitoring and identification of financial needs (especially of the poorest countries), and the need for enhancement of UN Water capacities. The Chair highlighted the following outputs adopted by the Board:

1) The Board supported the process proposed by the Recommendation on IWRM and Water Efficiency Plans and adopted during the International Conference on IWRM held from December 6 to 8, 2004. The Board endorsed the approach outlined in the recommendation and the Chair of the Board will submit it to CSD13, to be held in April 2005.
>>See Recommendation on IWRM and Water Efficiency Plan (English/ French/ Spanish/ Japanese)

2) The Board strongly supported the underlying spirit of the Urgent Appeal to the UN Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, prepared by the session on Risk Management in IWRM during the International Conference on IWRM. The Board recommended that this Appeal be taken to the World Conference on Disaster Reduction to be held in Kobe in January 2005.
>>See Urgent Appeal (English/ Spanish/ Japanese)

3) The Board agreed on the tasks to be addressed by the Board before the next meeting, including development of an action plan for the Board and the framing of a letter of strategic recommendation to be addressed to the Secretary General.

It was decided that the third session of the Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation and its working groups would be held in November 2005. It was agreed that the Chair and Representatives of the Advisory Board would make interventions at the 4th World Water Forum (Mexico City, March 2006).


The Board Members at the 2nd Session



Copyright © 2007 UNSGAB Secretariat All rights reserved.