Brief remarks during the thematic session, "Status of Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals/Johannesburg Plan of Implementation related to Water"

The data we have heard this morning underscore the challenges we face. Despite the progress we have made in past decade, more than 1.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2 billion lack access to sanitation. Beyond taking a heavy toll on human beings and the environment, this lack of access represents a fundamental barrier to economic growth and poverty eradication and it cannot be ignored. The U.S is focusing on three key areas.

First, we must achieve immediate results. There are a number of cost-effective technologies that, when coupled with proper sanitation and hygiene, can significantly reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases and save lives now. Over the course of the next two weeks, we will describe an approach coupling point-of-use technologies for disinfecting water, safe water storage, and education to improve community hygiene that we have used successfully in over 20 countries. We hope to hear of other promising approaches to delivering immediate results.

Second, success in the short-term is good, but not sufficient. We need to build the foundation necessary to achieve sustainable long-term results. Part of this foundation is the financing of infrastructure for basic service provision. We have begun to adopt a number of innovative financing mechanisms used in the United States for use in developing countries to reduce investment risks, pool debt, and strengthen local capital markets so that they themselves can issue bonds. Another key component is building the enabling environment for investment. This means capacity building to strengthen the policy and regulatory framework and build the economic infrastructure to attract and support investment and enable local entrepreneurs. Taking this approach we have mobilized millions in local private capital for public infrastructure in every region of the developing World. For anyone interested in learning more about these types of programs, USAID will hold a workshop on Wednesday.

Finally, long-term success requires sound planning and management. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) plans need to be developed. However, water cannot stand in isolation. It must be part of a country’s broader development efforts, and, ideally, integrated into national poverty reduction strategies. Each country will need to take the lead on its own efforts. Donors, the private sector, and non-government organizations and other stakeholders can play an important supporting role by providing capacity building and assistance. We look forward to discussing with other countries how we might achieve this objective.

We have two weeks. I hope we can spend some of this time exploring these three areas: What we can do now to have an immediate impact on the ground; approaches to mobilizing domestic capital for water-related infrastructure; and how we might work together to support national government efforts to develop plans and strategies.