Water issue remains unresolved<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
The United Nations meeting on sustainable development in Bali now
\nhas another stumbling block to clear as the debate on water
\nissues remained unresolved during the senior officials meeting.<\/p>\n
It is likely to be brought directly into the ministerial
\nmeeting beginning Wednesday.<\/p>\n
After a long week of discussions of the action plan on
\nsustainable development, known as the Chairman's Text or the Bali
\nCommitment, groups of countries insisted on holding to their
\nstance on the water issue, while some delegates continued to seek
\na compromise.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's Minister of Resettlement and Regional
\nInfrastructure Soenarno, said on Monday that issues of \"time
\ntargets\" for clean water provision, the privatization of water
\ncompanies and cross-border water trading issues were the main
\nsticking points in negotiations.<\/p>\n
\"Certain developed countries have some political interests
\nthat make it difficult to compromise,\" Soenarno told a press
\nbriefing.<\/p>\n
Water is one of the five top issues named by UN Secretary
\nGeneral Kofi Annan that will most likely be addressed by heads of
\nstates during the World Summit in Johannesburg later in August
\nand September.<\/p>\n
The UN is aiming to reduce by half the 1.1 billion people who
\ndo not have access to clean water by 2015. And this is supported
\nby developing countries in the current negotiations.<\/p>\n
Japan, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand
\ngrouped under the JUSCANZ negotiating block opposed the time
\ntarget. They contended that the most important thing would be to
\npursue partnerships among stakeholders to provide clean water.<\/p>\n
To ensure the efficient distribution of clean water, the U.S.
\nsuggested partnerships between private companies that could build
\ninfrastructure for the supply of water.<\/p>\n
Soenarno, however, contended that governments should be
\nallowed to continue their attempts to provide water for their
\npeople and claimed that partnerships would cause an increase in
\nthe price of water.<\/p>\n
\"For developing countries, such an idea would be out of the
\nquestion because we, the government, want to be the sole
\nproviders for our people, and that is a basic right. How can we
\nmake people pay more for clean water?\" he complained, while not
\nproviding any evidence as to why it would cost more.<\/p>\n
The stance of many developing countries on the water issue got
\na boost from the European Union (EU), which did support the time
\ntarget's inclusion in the Chairman's Text.<\/p>\n
\"The European countries have agreed to put water as one of the
\nkey issues in the Johannesburg meeting as the global threat to
\nwater is a threat for sustainable development,\" Frederick Bach,
\nEU representative on water issue, told the same press conference.<\/p>\n
He also said that the EU had gathered 15 donor countries and
\nallocated US$1.4 billion annually to finance water, sanitation
\nand hygiene programs in developing countries, mostly in Africa.<\/p>\n
\"Water issues should be recognized in the political
\nagenda...there should be a clear focus and a target for water
\nprovision,\" Bach added.<\/p>\n
Uganda Minister for Water, Land and the Environment Maria
\nMutagamba E. Lubega appealed to world leaders to support the time
\ntarget.<\/p>\n
\"We must have a time target. We appeal to everybody to support
\nthe future of time target,\" she remarked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/water-issue-remains-unresolved-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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