Closing Statement

Mr. Chairman, we came to this Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) hoping to build on CSD 12 by identifying the policy options that can take us forward with implementation. The discussions over the past several days have brought out a number of specific things that governments and other relevant stakeholders can do to carry out integrated water resources management, better manage shared river basins, attend to water and health linkages, mobilize resources from all sources, and advance sustainable development in human settlements. We strongly urge you, with the assistance of the secretariat, to develop a format that allows you to bring these policy options forward in a user-friendly, streamlined, manner and to present that at CSD-13. A paragraph-by-paragraph report-style summary is not adequate. It is not useful for implementation actors. This IPM has also enabled us to bring forward some practical measures and specific mechanisms through which "policy networks" can deliver results. Action in these areas can improve lives in at least two important ways. First, by meeting human needs for basic services, such as clean water and sanitation. And, second, by fostering participatory decision-making and building institutions that are transparent and accountable to the public, the essence of democracy and good governance.
The Global Water Partnership is emerging as promising way to link interested donors, developing countries, international organizations, and others who wish to do IWRM. We are encouraged by UNDP’s efforts to bring together multiple actors interested in advancing capacity building for riparian states that wish to address shared river basin management. The emerging prospect of a partnership involving the WHO, UNICEF, and other stakeholders to work on water and health is also welcome.

Mr. Chairman, in looking forward to CSD 13, our measure of success will be whether we have brought forward actions we will undertake, either individually or in partnership with others to implement policy options. For our part, the United States has already previewed our priorities for action and the voluntary commitments. We appreciate what we have learned this week from others about their priorities for action and we look forward to seeing the commitments they may volunteer in these areas at CSD 13. Accordingly, we request that the Chairman or Secretariat provide a clear sense of how such commitments might be brought forward at CSD 13. We also suggest that you provide a template for web-based submissions.