5th World Water Forum 27.04.2012

Fifth World Water Forum was held in Istanbul on 16-22 March 2009.

The 5th World Water Forum, organized by the Turkish Government and the World Water Council was held in Istanbul from 16 to 22 March 2009.

More than 33 thousand participants took part in the 5th World Water Forum, making it the world’s biggest ever water-related event. Much more than the size of the event, the number of recommendations, proposals, commitments and initiatives made throughout the preparatory process and during the week make this Forum a long-lasting highpoint in the international development calendar.

Before and during the Forum, UCLG initiated a high-level dialogue process between local governments and national governments. In this regard, the Mayor of Istanbul and Co-President of UCLG, Mr. Kadir TOPBAŞ, has invited the concerned local authorities to underwrite the “Istanbul Water Consensus”.

(please click here to obtain the pdf file of Istanbul Water Consensus.)

This consensus proposed concrete commitments to local and regional authorities so they can face the most urgent challenges linked to water and the improved management of this essential resource.

During the Forum “Local Authority Days” were held on 18-19 March 2009. These days included different thematic sessions, debate with Parliamentarians and a “Local Authorities’ Assembly” during which the political declaration of the “Istanbul Water Consensus” was discussed and adopted.

Additionally, on 20 March 2009, a high-level debate between local and regional authorities, members of parliament and ministers of national governments was held.

UCLG, assisted by UCLG-MEWA along the whole process, encouraged the implementation of concrete initiatives for improved water management on behalf of its members, and organized member participation throughout the Water Forum. In fact, more than 250 mayors and representatives of local and regional authorities from 43 countries came together during the “Local Authority Days” and debated answers to the water challenges, and specifically the Istanbul Water Consensus.

The Consensus called on States and international institutions, and committed local and regional governments to create local plans to improve water and sanitation management. Baguio, Barcelona, Berlin, Brisbane, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Entebbe, Gaza, Guayaquil, Incheon, Kampala, Istanbul, Lausanne, Lomé, Nouakchott, Paris, Vienna, among others, adopted the Consensus.

In support of the Istanbul Water Consensus, cities expressed their willingness to work within the framework of the world organizations of local and regional governments to attain the greatest number of signatory cities. They further committed to developing decentralized cooperation partnerships focusing on water issues and to assure a follow-up to these commitments to be presented during the next World Water Forum.

In spite of significant efforts and a great convergence of opinions at the local level, the final declaration adopted by national governments confirmed the fears expressed by UCLG, ICLEI and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in their March 20 press release. Access to water has not been acknowledged as a right in the final declaration and local and regional authorities are practically not taken into account in this text, which is a base minimum level of consensus.

This declaration constitutes a step backwards for local and regional authorities when set alongside the Mexico Declaration, where Ministers expressly recognized “the important role played by (…) local authorities (…) in the development of access to water and sanitation services”. Furthermore, the final Mexico Declaration included the declaration of local authorities as part of its annex, while no mention is made of the Istanbul Consensus in the present ministerial declaration. For many, this text does not sufficiently address the crucial challenges posed by water.