Introductory address by Ms. Hilde F. Johnson, Minister of International Development and Human Rights

“The Struggle for Water”

A Roundtable Discussion on Development Assistance and Water Conflict Resolution

The Water Academy, World View Rights and Environment Northern Seas 1999, Stavanger, 8 June 1999

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

We are gathered here in Stavanger to talk about water, or more precisely about how the scarcity of drinkable and useable fresh water creates problems for people and societies, and sometimes even leads to violent conflict. And we will address what needs to be done to resolve and prevent such conflicts, and how to ensure that enough clean water is available to all - rich and poor, farmers and city dwellers, present and future generations.

To succeed, we must all tap our brains, let ideas flow, and distil lessons. As you can see, water saturates even our language.

Water - abundant and scarce

It is somewhat ironic that one of the wettest places on earth has been selected as the venue for this seminar. The west coast of Norway receives more rain each year — throughout the year – than most people would ever want in a lifetime. In addition, the annual snowfall in the mountains ensures a steady flow of water into our rivers and streams. The only water scarcity we know about is related to our ever-growing consumption of electric power. Sometimes the mountain reservoirs that feed our hydroelectric generators are tapped to such an extent that we are forced to import coal-based power from Denmark.

Thus, the water conflicts we have experienced are primarily related to the damming up of rivers for hydropower development. As far as conflicts go, ours have been relatively benign and manageable.

The fact that water scarcity is a political issue in many countries and internationally is ironic. After all, there is a tremendous surplus of fresh water in the world. We have much more of it than we will ever be able to use in a meaningful way. What is more, it is a resource that by definition cannot be consumed. Water does not disappear. It only takes new forms. The hydrological cycle takes care of itself. We even have new, striking evidence that the Earth receives significant quantities of water on a continuous basis, from space. In other words, in the long term we may all risk drowning. In the end someone may have to copy Noah, and build a very big boat for all of us…

And yet we know all too well that more and more people are having more and more problems finding the precious drops of water needed to keep death at bay. More than one billion people do not have access to adequate supplies of clean water. According to UNESCO, 35 per cent of the world’s population has very low or catastrophically low water supplies. We know that whole countries are in the process of literally running out of water due to over-consumption of limited groundwater resources, pollution of surface water or a combination of both.

The scenarios are particularly worrying in the Middle East, southern Africa and parts of India and China. One recent study, “Water Scarcity in the Twenty-First Century” released in March this year by the International Water Management Institute, told us that 2.7 billion people will experience severe water scarcity by 2025. What has gone wrong?

As usual, many things. One might blame God or Nature – take your pick – for the highly unbalanced system of water distribution at global level. This seems like a futile exercise. One might blame progress or economic development, which always lead to higher consumption, but that is also unreasonable. We must focus on areas where we can make a difference. Where we can make meaningful changes for the better. And we have plenty of scope for correcting past wrongs, for improvement and innovation, globally, regionally, nationally, and locally.

Water scarcity is an issue that can be resolved. Water conflicts can be prevented. We have several means at our disposal: political, financial, technological and administrative. Water is the Earth’s most precious resource. We must learn to treat it as such.

Water in a policy context

However, before I start talking about what we must do, I want to step back a little. I want to make sure nobody misses a very important point. This introduction and this seminar are about water and water conflicts. But water needs to be seen in a much wider context. The other day I gave a speech about agriculture and development. Another very important topic, but the same is true: agriculture must be seen in a wider context. The same goes for the role of the private sector, civil society, women, the environment, children, and so on.

Everything is important. But I would be committing a grave error if I advocated that any of these topics should be dealt with as an isolated issue, or if I failed to communicate that there is a larger context where these issues have their place.

All these issues, including the challenge of water scarcity and the management of water in the developing world, must be viewed as part of the struggle against poverty. In particular, our own Norwegian development assistance and our diplomatic efforts in relation to water must be targeted towards programmes and actions that improve water services to the poor within a comprehensive water resource management regime.

Why?

• Because poverty is today’s number one global challenge, representing the most abhorrent and reprehensible violation of human rights today.
• Because the poor suffer more than anyone from lack of safe water for drinking and other uses. They do not have the means to buy bottled water brought in from somewhere else when the local well runs dry or is contaminated.
• Because poverty and inequality fuel instability and conflict.
• Because strategies to combat water scarcity and prevent water conflicts will fail unless they are synchronized with strategies to alleviate and eradicate poverty.

Making sure sufficient fresh water is available for all is a necessary, although not sufficient, condition for sustainable development and prosperity, and for ensuring peace and stability.

Historical overview

Through the 1970s the typical approach to water development was to design and implement large-scale investment projects to bring water to urban and rural users, be they households, large-scale irrigation-based farmers, livestock farmers (bore holes) or industries. It was the decade of dams, ditches, pipes, and wells. Engineering consultants provided the solutions and made a good living. The focus was on supplying water.

Few paid attention to social and environmental impacts downstream, or to the carrying capacity of water resources upstream. Too few also paid attention to the needs and desires of the intended beneficiaries. Don’t get me wrong: many good and important results were achieved, and millions benefited. But now, with hindsight, we know that many also paid a price, and too many measures turned out not to be sustainable.

The 1980s were officially the “water decade”. While water and sanitation services were certainly expanded to reach unprecedented numbers of people, the scarcity problems also got worse in many places. Perhaps the best that can be said about the water decade is that it was a learning period for everyone who worked with water development and management issues. The ten years of focus on water showed that it was important that:

• users should have the right to decide in water management issues and that women were central in this process;
• users should own the resources and be responsible for maintenance;
• private entrepreneurs could facilitate development and management in many areas more inexpensively than governments; and
• that water was defined as an economic asset and needed a price that reflected its value for society.

Throughout the 1990s the focus has shifted towards the institutional and policy environment in which water development occurs. We have increased our emphasis on policies for water development, legal and institutional frameworks, capacity building, and awareness raising.

In other words, we are supporting the efforts of our partner governments to develop and manage their own water resources more sustainably and effectively. Norwegian expertise is advising on the building of effective institutions, laws and regulations, and on developing suitable planning and management systems.

Thus, the field of development is by no means static. Things have changed a lot over the last three decades, and in this process we are all learning.

Integrated water management

In the 1990s the focus has also gradually shifted towards a more integrated approach to water resource management and development, with increased attention being given to the ecological and social dimensions. Naturally defined units such as river basins are also becoming natural entities in administrative terms.

There is growing recognition that the key ecological functions of forests, wetlands and streams must be maintained in order to secure stable, safe water supplies for people. The needs of communities downstream are increasingly being factored into development planning upstream. There is more focus on the balance between rural and urban areas.

However, there is still a long way to go before the integrated management approach is sufficiently mainstreamed into policies, either on our side or in developing countries. Even longer is the road towards building a clear poverty-oriented or, better still, poverty-eradication perspective into water management. This is the road we must embark on with greater determination.

Promoting an ecosystem approach to the management of fresh water is also a key challenge. The increasing demand for fresh water by human beings, and the demand for water by nature itself, make it necessary to recognise the role of ecosystems as users, regulators and providers of water.

The role of groundwater basins, rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands, estuaries and the sea along with forest and other parts of the ecosystem in the water cycle, and their importance for water quality and quantity, must be better acknowledged and factored into development planning.

The road ahead

As we define, or refine, our strategies in the area of water development and management I am convinced that Norwegian efforts must be guided by the following principles:

1. Firstly, the overall orientation of our work in relation to water must be poverty alleviation.
2. Secondly, our efforts must be concentrated on the countries where we have already established development cooperation and where our assistance in water development and management is in demand.
3. Thirdly, we must contribute even more than at present to an integrated, holistic, and transparent water development approach. For example, if we are supporting the development of hydroelectric power we must actively promote open and transparent planning. All relevant stakeholders must be heard and all up- and downstream uses must to be factored into the equation. The days are gone when the only interesting thing about water was hydropower.
4. Fourthly, we must take advantage of opportunities to help avoid or resolve conflicts related to water, within and between countries - which is the focus of this seminar. We will offer our assistance particularly in countries and regions where we are already present and have relevant expertise, such as the Middle East.
5. Fifthly, we will coordinate our efforts closely with other donors. Where we are not in a position to make our own contributions we will urge others to take responsibility.

Water conflicts

I hope I have managed to give you an idea of my conceptual framework. Turning now to the issue of water-related conflicts, I will talk about conflicts at the international and the subnational levels and present some examples of how we are already making efforts to help prevent and resolve conflicts over water.

International water conflicts

It is questionable whether any war has so far been fought mainly over water. Although water has been an ingredient in many violent conflicts, water conflicts between states are usually political ones, managed through diplomacy and regulated by bilateral and international agreements. Sometimes, however, these conflicts have serious negative repercussions in that they prevent people from taking advantage of economic opportunities. It should suffice to mention the river Nile and the problems Ethiopia and other upstream countries encounter with their downstream neighbours over plans for hydroelectric development. Egypt has threatened to go to war to protect its water supplies if necessary.

As water scarcity gradually becomes more severe, some of the conflicts that have so far been mainly political may become violent. This is a possible scenario in the Middle East. In March 1999, President Ghaddafi of Libya warned that the next war in the Middle East would be over dwindling water supplies. Competition over dwindling water resources may increasingly become one of the central ingredients of existing and new conflicts.

Without adequate fora and mechanisms for conflict resolution, conflicts over the use of shared waterways may become one of the more pressing problems in the next century. Some have even stated that after the turn of the century conflicts over water resources will dominate the picture. We must get better at anticipating possible conflicts and working out appropriate mechanisms for resolving them. I am convinced that depletion of water resources will become increasingly centre-stage in key international fora.

The key, however, to finding durable solutions is to attack the underlying problems: water scarcity, uneven distribution of water, deterioration of water quality and overuse and destruction of water sources. These challenges deserve our attention, at the subnational and national levels, the regional and global levels. Some work has already been done in this regard pointing the way for further efforts in the future. I would like to tell you about two examples where Norway has been involved.

· Addressing the water challenge in the Middle East

Firstly – the Middle East. Given the population growth, increased consumption, and continuous competition between countries over scarce resources and political instability, a just settlement on the water issue is an essential building block for a lasting peace in the Middle East.

A crucial step in this regard was taken by Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel in June 1996 when they signed the “Declaration of Principles for Co-operation on Water-related Matters and New Additional Water Resources”. As part of the multilateral peace process, the negotiations on the declaration were facilitated and supported by the Norwegian Government and the Oslo-based Centre for Environmental Studies and Resource Management (CESAR).

The Waternet project was the first joint initiative by the parties to implement parts of this declaration. The overall vision of Waternet is to stimulate cooperation between the parties on water-related issues. One of the first objectives to be achieved was the development of a common information system for water-related matters – the Waternet Information System. By facilitating regional cooperation on water issues and the development of mutual trust between the parties, the system benefits all parties.

Because the fates of the Middle Eastern countries are intertwined in so many ways, particularly when it comes to water, the political climate in the region needs to be improved. The sharing of information on water that Israel, the Palestinians and Jordan are engaged in through the Waternet project means that at least some of the parties in the conflicts have taken important steps in that direction.

The water issue is deeply entangled with other conflicts in the region. We believe that settling disputes relating to water is crucial in order to solve the conflicts at the political level. Our common challenge is to turn what is currently a dispute over water into a vehicle for cooperation: to turn the tide. Norway is honoured to have been able to assist the parties so far in the process. We know, however, that building peace and mutual trust is a time-consuming process, and the Norwegian Government is therefore willing to assist the parties in the years ahead with the aim of contributing to a just and lasting solution.

· Southern Africa

Secondly – in southern Africa the approach is preventive rather than resolution-oriented. This is because there is still time to prevent serious conflict over water in that region, where shared watercourse systems yield approximately 70 per cent of the available water, and where overall scarcity is becoming worse. Norway has supported the process leading to the Protocol on Shared Watercourse Systems, which was signed in 1995. In the SADC region there are seven priority areas for collaboration with respect to water resources and development:

• legal/regulatory framework,
• policy formulation,
• management information systems,
• human and institutional capacity-building,
• awareness-raising,
• expanding stakeholder participation.

Cooperative efforts like these in the Middle East and southern Africa need to be strengthened and replicated. Fortunately, other donors are also moving in this direction, although we are probably all moving rather too slowly in view of the challenges facing us. Norway cannot be everywhere, but we do share in the responsibility of ensuring that the international community takes water scarcity, and the risk of conflict associated with scarcity, more seriously. This is why building and sustaining global mechanisms and fora for awareness raising and action are so important. This must go beyond awareness raising and action related to conflicts as such. It is even more important to create a stronger momentum in the search for, and implementation of, solutions to the problems underlying conflict: increased scarcity, depletion and contamination of water resources, and inequitable access.

I will point to two global efforts that are relevant in this regard, and in which Norway is playing an active role:

· The World Commission on Water for the 21st Century and the Global Water Partnership

This Commission is composed of twenty-one outstanding thinkers and leaders of opinion in the field of water management. Its main task is to guide the development of the Long Term Vision on Water, Life and the Environment for the 21st Century. The Commission was established recently by the World Water Council, which is co-sponsored by among others several UN agencies and the World Bank. One of the key objectives is to acquire knowledge of what is happening in the world of water, both regionally and globally, and of trends and developments outside the water sector which may affect future water use. The Global Water Partnership, meanwhile, in which key decision makers in governments and among donors, private sector investors and developers and representatives of beneficiaries take part, is charged with the daunting task of turning the vision into action on the ground.

· The World Commission on Dams

The World Commission on Dams brings together governments, international financial institutions, developers, environmental and social NGOs and other representatives of civil society to jointly review past experience of dams and to provide broadly acceptable policies, standards and tools to guide the future development of hydropower. The Commission could become a key instrument in striking a better balance between developmental, social and environmental concerns in the management of freshwater resources.

Water conflicts at the sub-national level

Most conflicts over water take place within nations. Different communities, ethnic groups and interest groups with ever increasing needs compete for the same, limited water resources. In addition, nature itself has become a party, as environmental advocacy groups fight to protect watercourses so that crucial ecosystem functions and wildlife habitats can be maintained.

These kinds of conflicts are usually more political than violent, but are serious enough. They sometimes drag on for years and can paralyse economic development. Usually, they are dealt with by political or administrative means but in the absence of government intervention they may become open conflicts. Violence is sometimes a tragic ingredient.

Vulnerable groups such as the poorest segments of the population and ethnic minorities are often the first victims: they are the least able to protect their rights and interests. Sometimes the conflict is only “resolved” when one or more sides have “lost”. When access to safe and sufficient water supplies has been destroyed or denied, whole communities are sometimes forced to move somewhere else, to change their lifestyle completely, or to live at the mercy of others. This is what has happened, for example, in parts of the oil-producing coastal areas of Nigeria. At other times governments and other parties manage to negotiate acceptable solutions.

These kinds of water conflicts result primarily from policy failures. They occur because national or local governments have failed to design and implement integrated, balanced water resource management regimes that respect the carrying capacity of available water sources and are acceptable to local communities and other key stakeholders.

I am not saying that it is easy to develop such integrated regimes in areas and countries with significant water scarcity problems. But that is where the solution lies for countries and communities struggling with limited water access. And it is to this end that more of our water development assistance must be directed — by Norway and other actors.

It is becoming more and more obvious that, in the absence of sustainable water management regimes at the local and national level, assistance for water development may negatively influence water supply in the long run. It is particularly important to focus on watersheds and river basins as units of analysis, development and management. To date we have established integrated water management cooperation with Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Palestinian territories. We are supporting the World Bank in developing similar approaches with other countries. I still think we need to do more.

We must also facilitate and support efforts to develop and introduce appropriate technologies that make more efficient use of water—particularly in agriculture and industry. This is why partnerships with technology developers and enterprises are important. And again, this is why efforts such as the Global Water Partnership are important.

Finally, I would repeat that in the water sector, too, poverty alleviation must be at the centre of our attention. A key challenge is to develop indicators that measure how far water development programmes reach the intended beneficiaries.

Challenges to the seminar

I have tried to show you how I view the current situation when it comes to freshwater management in the developing world, and the key challenges ahead of us. I accept that views on this vast and complex topic may differ. I hope I have transmitted a sense of urgency when it comes to defining and finding new and better ways to manage fresh water at local, national and international levels.

A shocking 35 per cent of us do not have routine access to safe water. This is a truly unacceptable fact. And the trends are so far going in the wrong direction. No wonder we see signs that conflicts over water are becoming more and more tense.

I therefore hope you will make good use of this seminar, to focus on what we can do, as governments, civil communities, private companies, and concerned individuals. I believe the solutions are out there.

We need to build partnerships of truly committed individuals, groups and institutions, to identify solutions and to create the necessary public support for transforming them into reality.

Good luck with the seminar!

This page was last updated June 11 1999 by the editors