Hongaars voorzitterschap wil water als centraal punt in ontwikkelingsbeleid (en)

The reform of the European Union’s development policy must focus on water. This is the central statement of the Hungarian Presidency’s report, which was presented by Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs János Hóvári at the meeting of development ministers on 24 May 2011, in Brussels.

The Hungarian Presidency adopted it as a priority, both in the field of environmental protection and international development policy, to call the attention of Member States on issues related to water. In its relevant report, the Hungarian Presidency explored ways for the EU development policy to promote sustainable water management and consequently the rise of the economy and society of developing countries.

The document, which was presented by Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs, János Hóváry received endorsement from participants at the meeting of development ministers. Mr Hóvári stressed: the Presidency’s aim is to ensure that the support of sustainable water management is present in the EU’s cooperation programs for development, in the reform of the EU’s development policy, no matter whether the agriculture, health, education or energy policy sector is concerned.

Although the EU considers water related issues as priorities since the UN’s World Summit on Sustainable Development of 2002 in Johannesburg, and both the Commission and Member States provide various supports to developing countries’ water sector, the work is still not enough, since the level of political will and finance is insufficient.

The presidency has prepared several proposals. For instance, it has invited the Commission to draw up a water policy for developing countries during the reform of the EU development policy; and to determine a comprehensive action plan. It also recommends for the Commission to pay particular attention in its initiatives, regarding water needing to remain a central point of growth and sustainability in community policies.

On the 21st EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, on 14-18 May in Budapest, the initiative of the Presidency met a positive response.

Moreover, in its resolution the Assembly’s Committee on Social and Environmental Affairs, expressed that national governments are responsible to ensure clean drinking water and basic public health conditions.

According to the Presidency’s document, water plays a key role in the social and economic development of countries, especially amid current global challenges such as climate change, growing population, food shortage and increasing energy prices. Two thirds of the planet is covered by water, but 97 percent of it is sea water, and only 3 percent is fresh water.

The major part of the world’s fresh water supplies are frozen into glaciers and snowcaps, so only 1 percent of entire fresh water supply is accessible for human consumption. As global population grows, the „blue gold” becomes an invaluable treasure, and any shortage of it could threaten the stability of entire regions.