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INFORMATION NOTICE |
The Barcelona Conference of November 28, 1995 was an outstanding
event. It set a new and ambitious approach to relationships around
the Mediterranean. The organization of thematic ministerial meetings
is an excellent means to sustain the Barcelona spirit and to develop
new cooperation axes leading to real projects.
Keeping this notion, France, in liaison with the European Commission,
plans to organize a Euro-Mediterranean ministerial conference
devoted to local water management, in Marseille at the Pharo Palace
on November 25 and 26, 1996.
Water is a major concern in all countries of the region. It is
one of the privileged fields of cooperation mentioned in the Barcelona
Declaration and Work Plan.
A Euro-Mediterranean partnership offers the prospect of instigating
the setting-up of a real cooperation and the development of a
real solidarity.
The Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Local Water Management should
gather representatives from the fifteen countries of the European
Union and from Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon,
Malta, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority.
It has three objectives:
- reinforce the mobilization of rulers and populations of all
countries in the Mediterranean Basin and Europe to promote
a sustained use of water resources.
- reaffirm common principles, to ensure a good management
of this resource, as they were adopted during Algiers (1990) and
Rome (1992) conferences, while broadening their field of application
to Europe:
- necessity of saving water,
- definition of a legal frame based on a known system of
references and standards,
- setting up or strengthening of appropriate institutional
mechanisms on an adequate geographical and hydrological
scale,
- decentralization/deconcentration of responsibilities linking
decision-making to field realities,
- development of a solidarity among the users and of the
means for their participation,
- awareness of the economic value of water,
- etc.
- Organize cooperation by facilitating the association of specialized
organizations involved in the water sector, especially in
the fields of high-level education and professional training,
research on interactions between water and development, information
exchange, comparison of experiences and dissemination of the specialized
documentation.
The works of the conference will be based on proposals from experts
coming from the concerned countries. They will be organized, within
the specific context of the Mediterranean basin, on four topics:
- water management for a sustainable agriculture,
- domestic and industrial water,
- basic and continuous training of water professionals,
- strengthening of institutions.
The experts already held a preparatory meeting in Cairo (Egypt)
on last October 21-22.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION :
Mrs. Christiane RUNEL - Press Attaché
Conference Secretariat of the
Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Local Water Management
International Office for Water - FRANCE -
Fax : 33.1. 40.08.01.45
Courriel : oieau-dg@worldnet.net