A/35/PV.55 General Assembly

Speaking on behalf of the European Com- munity and its member States on the occasion of the proclamation of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, I wish to stress the great interest we attach to the matters that we are discussing today. 3. As the Secretary-General stressed in his state- ment [54th meeting), problems relating to drinking water and its conservation have reached global di- mensions today and require a commitment on the part of all States to unite their efforts in order to con- serve this irreplaceable resource which is part of the heritage of all mankind. 4. The European Community, for its part, is making every effort necessary to protect this common heri- tage, on the one hand by adopting internal measures and on the other, by giving financial assistance to the developing countries to help them to deal with their problems. NEW YORK 5. Within its own territories, the European Com- munity is confronted by problems of water supply. The high population density, the expansion of its economic activities and the high standard of living of its peoples certainly do not facilitate the solution of this problem. In order to deal with this situation and to promote general and concerted action on the part of its member States in the realm of the rational administration and purification of the water supply, the Community, since 1973, has been implementing a programme of action on the environment in which these problems are given priority treatment. Within the framework of that action programme the Com- munity has adopted several directives aimed in par- ticular at preventing, reducing and eliminating water pollution. 6. Nevertheless, the European Community is aware that drinking water and, above all, its supply, present. problems which affect above all the most disadvan- taged populations of the developing countries, par- ticularly when those countries are located in regions of the world where water is one of the essential factors of survival. 7. The policy of co-operation with the developing countries to which the Community is committed within the framework of the renewed Lome Con- ventlon' is based essentially upon the priorities indi- cated by those countries, as well as upon the com- plementary nature oftheirefforts within the framework of their own development programmes. Hence the Community is ready to devote to the drinking water supply and sanitation sector all the attention which the developing countries, as far as each is concerned, wish to devote to it during the course of this Decade. In" this connexion, I would recall the meeting held in November at Bamako between the leaders of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and those of the European Community, which enabled all par- ticipants to learn from past experience and to develop the basic principles that should underlie future co- operation in this field. 8. During the past 15 years the European Com- munity has contributed actively to the solution of problems relating to drinking water conservation in the developing countries. The first three European development funds devoted approximately $216 mil- lion to projects in the drinking water and sanitation sector in several of the countries parties to the Lome Convention.! The fourth European development fund allocated between 1976 and 1980 approximately $40 million to projects in that field. Those projects, I Second ACP-EEC Convention of Lame, signed on 31 October 1979 at Lome. For the text, see The Courier, ACP-EEC, No. 58, November 1979. 2 ACP-EEC Convention of Lome, signed on 28 February 1975 at Lome, For the text, see document AIAC.176/7. m~t~l! $~2 million. .. today's rates would increase the population of de- . 11. The figures I have just cited apply only to spe- veloping countries, excluding China, between 1980 cific projects for drinking water and sanitation which and the year 2000 by at least another billion people. have been carried out thanks to the different possible Environmental implications of the rising consumption ways in which the Community is able to intervene of water must be adequately included in our plans. financially in order to assist the developing countries. Technologies that are effective, affordable and main- In fact these figures represent only the identifiable tainable in varying circumstances must be further part of the credits devoted to installations of that expanded. type: Many other projects which ~av~ bee!' also 17. Yet the steps already taken to launch the Decade camed out as part of .the C<?mmumty s assistance give cause for cautious optimism. Habitat: United for d~velf)pment make. It possible to p!ace w~ter. at Nations Conference on Human Settlements! and the the dls~s~l of J?Opulatlons and to p~o~lde sanitation United Nations Water Conference" focused world- !n certain inhabited zones, w~ether It I~ a matter of wide attention on the need fur improved water and lI~t~gral rural d~velopment, city pl:'nnmg, the pro- sanitation and called for the International Decade vIsion of ~ater m rural.ar~as, pubbc health or even for Drinking Water and Sanitation in the 1980s. the estabbshment of social infrastructures, and added to them are water supplie~ for multiple-purpose use 18. The United Nations has paved the way for the and emergency operations for the benefit of popu- De~ade over the. past 18 .months,. through UNDP, latlons that have suffered disasters. which has co-ordinated United Nations efforts at .the ---- - _. '. . country level and provided the necessary technical 12. ~e elf~rts t~at.the Commumty h~s !"ade m expertise; the Economic and Social Council; UNICEF, connexion .wlth drinking water and samtation ~nly which has increased its water and sanitation support ~tress the. Imp!>rtance we attach to these qu~stlons fivefold in the last five years and now gives 28 per cent m our actions m favour of development. That IS why of its funds to water and sanitation; and WHO, which we welcome the fact that .the yanous programmes has assisted in "rapid assessments" in over 100 de- . that h~ve been undertaken I~ this a~a .by group~ of veloping countries to provide a. basis for planning cou~tnes can now ~ co-or~mated within the United Water-Decade efforts. Joint UNDP and World Bank Na!lons system. I wish to give the .assuran~e that, for planning have been essential, yielding s,!ecific proj~ct their part, the Eu!opean ~omm'J~lty and ItS m~~ber plans in 11 developing countries, analysis of potential States are determined to gave their full co-operation. developing country and donor resources, and a review 13. Mr. EHRLICH (United States of America): It of possible technologies .an~ of social and cultural is a pleasure for me to be here today on behalf of the aspects of water a~d sanitation systems. The Wo~ld United States. I am honoured to speak before the Bank ~as exerted Im~~ant programme leadership, General Assembly as it launches the International a.llocatmg abo~t $1 billion ann~ally. to .water, '!ar- Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. ticularly for mfrastructure, W~IC~ IS the costliest . . component of water and sanitation systems. The 14. The logic behind the Decade is compelling. Life regional development banks have also undertaken expectancy in developing countries remains far below impressive efforts in dealing with water and sanita- that in developed countries, particularly because of tion. The Interamerican Development Bank, for child and maternal mortality. Widl -pread disease example, has allocated 14 per cent of its funding to damages labour productivity, learning capacity and water and sanitation in Latin America. Most impor- the quality of life. The principal causes of mortality tant of all, the developing countries themselves have and morbidity in developing countries are common made increasing progress in formulating plans for infections, exacerbated by malnutrition and by close water and sanitation systems that are technically, birth-spacing. Scarce and polluted water and poor environmentally, socially and economically sound. sanitation account for most of these infections. 3 Report of Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, Vancouver, 31 May-JI June 1976 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.76.IV.7 and corrigendum). _ ..Report of the United ffitions'Water Conference, Mar del Plata, 14-25 March /977 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.77.II.A.12). 15. Yet two thirds of the people of the third world lack safe water, three fourths lack basic sanitation and three fourths lack primary health services to explain the role of water and sanitation in preventing and treating disease. Moreover, the back-breaking 5 North-South: A program for survival: report of the Inde- pendent Commission on International Development Issues under the chairmanship of Willy Bmndt (Cambridae, Massachusetts, the MIT Press, 1980). Dam~ Barbara Jackson of Lodsworth, better known as Barbara Ward. Over many years, many British organizations, both public and private, have been active in extending to developing countries the exper- tise which they have built up in establishing public water supplies and applying up-to-date sanitary engineering and public health services. Within recent years, over SO countries, 'mostly in Africa and Asia, have drawn on the services ofourconsulting engineers, manufacturers and construction enterprises in their endeavours to bring the most basic benefits ofdrinking water and sanitation to their people. In the British Commonwealth in particular,associations have been built up between Governments and individual firms which augur well for continued co-operation during the Decade. 34. The British Institute of Hydrology, our Institute ofGeologicalSciences, the British Schools ofTropical Medicine and more recently an Intermediate Tech- my country. I can limit my remarks, therefore, to issues that are related more specifically to Hungary. 39. Prior to the Second World V/ar, Hungary was backward, as far as community water supply and sanitation systems were concerned, by comparison with developed countries of Europe. However, as a result of a planned development policy followed in the post-war period, by 1980 the proportions of the population served by reliable drinking water and waste disposal systems were 73 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. 40. As regards the future, my Government has approved a strategy for the development of water supply and sanitation setting the priority objectives of water management up to the year' 2000. Accord- ingly, every inhabitant of the country should enjoy safe drinking water by 1985 under one system or 7 See Report 0/ the United Nations Water Conference, Mor del Plata, 14-25 March /977 (United Nations publication, ddles No. E.77.Il.A.12), chap. I. 56. In accordance with that policy of the Mexican recycling of irrigation water; the use of solar distillers for salty or polluted water; rainwater collection on Government, drinking water works and sewage roofs and in cellars; and the use of rainwater to wash systems are being delivered to state and municipal clothes with lye soap, whereby one would avoid the governments, together with technical guidance in use of non-biodegradable detergents. their use and maintenance. 62. Fourthly, we will launch a publicity programme 57. Mexico· covers an extensive territory, with a concerning the importance of water conservation so population of approximatel)' 70 million, 66.4 per cent as to ensure that the population will utilize water of which lives in urban areas, while only 33.6 per cent appropriately. resides in rural areas. Of that population, 53 per cent, or 37.1 million people living in the city or the country 63. Fifthly, we will promote the decentralization of has access to drinking water, while 35.7 per cent of large clusters of population in the central plateau, the population, or 25 million people, benefits from a directing those people to zones with abundant water sewage system. and natural resources. obje~tives of the Drinking Water Suppr:y and Sanita- tion Decade. That is not a new commitment, for the Sudan has exerted tremendous efforts in the post- independence years-and especially during the past 10 years-to provide drinking water, in particular to the people in the arid rural areas in the western, eastern andsouthem parts of the Sudan, and to the many villages throughout the country. We have encountered many problems in the spheres oftechnology .financing, infrastructure, availability of trained personnel, and so forth, and that has impeded the success of the efforts to provide drinking water to the large popu- lation of the Sudan. It is perhaps appropriate at this point to describe the Sudan's efforts in this field and to review the geographic, economic and social situation Qfthe ,S~sta~ in this respect. CJ7. My country has not been spared. this concern, established which gradually took over the. responsi- since, out of a population of more than 5 million in- bility, .for water supply and sewage systems from the habitants, unevenly distributed over 1 million square municipalities. kilometres, more than 60 per cent have unprotected 105. Currently, more than 40 bodies are exclusively natural water sources, and nearly 80 per cent lack or partially devoted to buildingbasic sanitation systems even minimal sanitation services. in Bolivia. For the most part, those bodies are working 98. The situation is even worse in the rural areas, independently rather than in a co-ordinated fashion, which cover most of our country, where 92 per cent and follow different norms and procedures. Only the of the population lack water services and 96 per cent local bodies established in eight of the largest cities lack sanitation services. are operating and maintaining those systems. In the other cases, thejob has been left to community groups, 99. Bolivia has a 'aried geography. It comprises with generally unsatisfactory results. Programmes all climates, all sorts of topography and every kind frequently emanate from outside and are introduced of landscape imaginable. The western region, moun- by technical and financial co-operation agencies. tainous and marked by high plains, making up the smallest part of the country, boasts the magnificence 106. Planning in this sector has been sporadic: there of high snow-capped peaks, a fertile mesa suited to have been the comprehensive engineering plan of cattle raising and agriculture, and deep valleys at the 1963-1965, the subsequent master plans for seven bottom of the Andean mountain slopes. The central cities, and the methodology provided by the national and southern region, composed ofopen fertile valleys, plan for rural aqueducts of 1970. heralds the tropical plains that occupy most of the 107. In 1974 the World Bank and WHO carried out Bolivian territory and are a fertile and torrid area a study of this sector, which highlighted the critical, furrowed by large navigable rivers which in the north limiting aspects. However, its recommendations did are. part of the Amazon basin and in the south feed not take account of human factors or of the require- the Plata basin. This ineffable variety led Alcides ,n:t~~~s f~.r its"p.!~~r)~.p!~~~.'!t~~~.o.~. ~'Orbigny, a wise French traveller of the past century, 108. Within the context of the programme now being to say "Bolivia is the geographical synthesis of the launched by the United Nations, in 1978 a theoretical world". .._... ... model was drafted in my country which encompassed 100. In the midst of that admirable confluence of 10 programmes for developing basic sanitation and climates, landscapes, products and topographies, it a resultant substantial increase in services. In order has a1w~ys been, and continues to be, difficult and to develop that sector we must restructure institutions indeed expensive to carry out any infrastructural so that each entity will have a clear, specific function development, largely because of the difficult terrain. and be in a position to carry it out. This will require lOt. Thus. when it comes to the matter before us that institutions be strengthened. now-the elaboration of suitable methods and systems 109. The developing of human resources would of drinking water supply' and sanitation-we confront mean more skilled workers capable of meeting the irnmtns~ difficulties, compounded by frequent Iimita- challenge of the Decade in this sector. Moreover, tion of,financialresources. We are well aware that the generation of economic resources by charging for wherever there is a shortage of purified water re- services and through other national sources and sources, there is an increase in disease, with a re- bilateral and international agencies should be the sultant rise in the over-all death rate, and particularly subject of appropriate financial planning. the infantile death rate, ours being the highest in 110. The achievement of greater service coverage America, with 160 deaths out of every 1,000 live requires adequate entrepreneurial impetus for the births. strengthening of consulting firms, construction 102. To these factors must be added the deficit in companies and national plants to enable them to meet trained personnel in this area. The low salaries paid the ever-growing demand for services. Thus the by State agencies, coupled with'the low demand for projects must be in keeping with the level of tech- public services, has driven many skilled workers to nological development of the country and of the popu- other sectors. As a result, the shortage, particularly lations served so that the latter can operate, maintain of middle-level and administrative technicians and and refurbish the various systems without undue specialized workers, has been a strong limiting factor difficulty. The projects will be directed basically in the development efforts in the sanitation sector. towards quality control of the water supply, the im- 103. In the 19208 and 19308, when our country was provement of services and the establishment of new eqjoying a financial boom in the exploitation and systems. export of tin, municipalities and mining enterprises Ill. We consider that this proposed programme built and operated adequate water supply systems has a sound basis, as this idea, conceived by Bolivians, and provided sewage systems in the main cities of the has been recommended and disseminated by the Pan rura~ev~lopment, which are of prime'import~!!ce. 114. This is the only way in which basic sanitation can be provided on a permanent basis, as it includes the larger development programmes and as the in- vestment required for it can be recovered. We also consider that the coverage, when compared with the target of water and sanitation to be provided for all by 1990, should be interpreted with some flexibility. While the larger towns could be provided with water and sewerage and with bath and kitchen units, the rural aggIomerations might be served by means of public baths and latrines. liS. Beginning this year concrete steps are being taken in Bolivia within the context of technical pro- grammes and objectives, ranging from a qualitative diagnosis to' planning, followed by the carrying out of activities which will involve us in a genuine par- ticipation in the Decade. 116. We have established a National Group for the Decade at the highest technical and political decision- making levels: under-secretaries or vice-ministers of urban planning, public health and planning, who will be responsible for most of the work carried out in this field. The executive secretariat of the National Group for the Decade has been placed under the direction of the Director of the National Plan for Basic Sanita- tion for the years 1981-1990. Two national workshops have been established relating to basic sanitation, which will include all the bodies that are involved in these activities, and they are discussing policies and strategies for the Decade and co-ordinating the par- ticipation of all. We also have been working with the Co-operative Development Society of the Federal Republic of Germany and with WHO so as to define the activities within the context of the Decade pro- grammes. 117. We hope that the industrialized countries and the bilateral and international agencies will recognize the efforts my country and Government are making and will provide us with the help we need in terms of technical assistance, for planning, as well as with economic assistance, to stimulate us into action. 118. We consider it appropriate to point out that, with the aid of the Government, my country will be host to the seventeenth Inter-American Congress of Sanitary and Environmental Engineers, to be held from 7 to 12 December this year, which will analyse the Decade in the Americas. This will be the first international meeting to be held after this historic launching. We should, of course, like to invite the delegations of the community of nations present here to attend that Congress. 123. My delegation welcomes the statements made at the S4th meeting by the Secretary-General and the executive heads of WHO, UNICEF and UNDP on the subject before it. We also wish to echo the sentiments already expressed by the Chairman of the various regional groups. 124. The reports of the Secretary-General point to a very gloomy picture of the present status of drinking water supply and sanitation in developing countries, whereover 13 million children lose their lives annually as a result of diseases occurring through lack of clean drinking water and poor sanitary conditions. 12S. The rural areas where the majority of the popu- lation Iive-over 80 per cent in the case of Kenya-« continue to rely on traditional sources of drinking water, with the implication that valuable and pro- ductive man-hours are lost every day in the process of fetching insufficient quantities of water from long distances for survival. Besides these problems, the indications are that the very climatic conditions in which mankind depends on its water are changing so fast that drinking water has itself now become a scarce commodity not only in many parts of the developing countries but also in some parts of the developed countries. 126. Kenya's interest in the agenda before us is well known. In 1974 Kenya became one of the few countries in the developing world to set up a full- fledged Ministry of Water Development. Kenya also took a very active part in the United Nations Water Conference held at Mar del Plata in 1977, which recommended that 1981-1990 be designated the Inter- national DrinkingWater Supplyand Sanitation Decade and that it should be devoted to the implementation of the national plans for drinkingwater and sanitation. 130. The functions of the National Action Com- mittee will include setting national targets for the Decade; focusing attention on population groups not served at present, including those in urban and rural areas; examining policy priority targets and plan strategy; planning and programming; increasing of absorptive capacity; resources mobilization project development and implementation; programme and project evaluation; and developing information systems and documentation. 131. In Kenya, at present, between 20and 30 per cent of the population is supplied with safe water and that percentage is expected to reach between 40 and 45 per cent by the end of Kenya's current develop- ment plan in 1983. The Kenya Government carried out the first stage of the national Master Water Plan study, which was completed in 1979, and that study indicates that the water demand for domestic and industrial use will increase from 234 million cubic metres per year in 1978 to 1,546 million cubic metres per year by the year 2008-as a result. in the main of an increase in population from 15 million to over 35 million by that year. To meet this increase in water demand will require considerable financial resources which will have to be raised from internal and external sources. 132. Although the national goal for Kenya still remains to supply water to the whole country by the year 2000, the Government of Kenya, with the support of international agencies and bilateral assistance, willcommit extra resources to ensure that the following targets are achieved by the end of the Decade: first, water supply in urban areas with 100per cent coverage and in the rural areas 75 per cent; and, secondly, " . . 137. In adopting the resolution on the launching of the Decade, let us remember that alt~"'·, -h this is but a "basic needs" resolution, the reqi .nenr to fulfil the objectives of the Decade tie in ve.. y closely with the problems of the development of the developing countries. We must work together to save the lives of the 13 million children who die every year from lack of clean drinking water and from poor sanitary con- ditions. We must also work together to increase the required investments in real terms to meet the targets for water supply and sanitation in the Decade ahead. 138. Let me end my speech now by quoting the wise words of our late President, the Father of our Kenya nation, mzee Jomo Kenyatta, who had this to say about water: 140. The problems that have to be tackled are, however, formidable. Water is a natural resource meeting ever larger demands. It is becoming a scarce resource under the pressure of developments in agriculture and industry and the growth of world population. Without a fundamental change in water management, some 30 countries are by the end of the century expected to have a demand for water that exceeds their maximum sustainable supply. They are heading for a water crisis. 141. We are simultaneously witnessing a steady increase in water pollution. In Sweden, my country, 20,000 lakes are seriously damaged by acid rains. The ongoing depletion of the ozone layer is creating the risk of extinction of micro-organisms in water. Water pollution from land-based sources is increasing the load of such pollutants as mercury, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyl peB and DDT, creating hazards in the use of surface water for drinking water supplies, as wellas long-term risks for the environment. 142. Rational water mar 'lJement involves action in most sectors of developn.••u. This message was the main thrust of the Mar del Plata Action Plan. It pre- conditions increased operational knowledge on the interrelationships between development, environ- ment, people and resources. Such knowledge will strengthen the factual basis for co-ordinated action in all relevant sectors, which is a sine qua non for the 'development of sustainable patterns of supply of and demand for water. 143. Water is essential to life. Without one or two litres of water daily, a person cannot survive. At the present time, approximately 60 per cent of the popu- lation ofthe developing countries does not have access to safe drinking water. Only one out of four persons is receiving adequate sanitation service. The con- sequences are alarming. Millions of children are dying. Women and children often have to spend many hours every day to fetch water. The physical strain .~ ~ .._- -- .- __ _-- __._ _ _-_..- '_.' -. 153. A national broad-front strategy will have to depend on community resources, emphasizing de- centralization and local participation. Steps to remove constraints would include the motivation of com- munities and the enlistment of their support. Efforts must therefore be made to promote and then respond to local initiatives. Community participation must not just be an additional requirement, imposed by central sector agencies. It has to be based on a real local involvement in decision making. A pre-condition for this is a strong local government and a political will to make it work. . .. -.. .. ._- .. .. 154. Again, the experience and knowledge ofwomen will be indispensable, in the local planning process. The future involvement and the further training of women are therefore of the utmost importance. 1SS. Another pre-condition is the use of suitable technologies, that are locally accepted. Installations have to be simple to operate and maintain through knowledge that can be taught at the village level. Technologies should also encourage foreign exchange savings and local employment. Equipment for the installations should, whenever poasible, be manu- factured locally. Suitable technologies must allow for continuous upgrading; they are not a second best but a transitional solution for a given level of de- velopment. 157. The emphasis on construction of new installa- tions has often led to neglect of operation and main- tenance. The stress on capital investment has also led to problems concerned with absorptive capacity. Large expansions put pressure on the recipient gov- emements' funds for operation and maintenance. Major additions for recurrent budgets do not come from donors but are normally financed nationally, The extent of this burden is sometimes too heavy. Another problem concerns the limited administrative capacity depending on supply of trained manpower and well-developed institutions adapted to the esti- mated growth ofthe watersupply and sanitation sector. 158. The Swedish delegation thus recommends that substantial funds be channelled to programmes of training and education of manpower at all levels. Donors should also seriously consider possibilities of contributing to the financing operation and to main- tenance. 159. Investments of the magnitude envisaged during the Decade make it advisable to carry out well-planned monitoring and evaluation. The results of such eva- luation should feed back into programme or project cycles and influence decisions. In recent years many bilateral and multilateral aid agencies have been giving increased emphasis to the evaluation of water supply programmes. That has been encouraged, in part, by the seriousness of the problem of operation and maintenance. In order to stimulate such evaluations it would be advisable to consider the creation of an international mechanism for evaluation. Such a me- chanism would assist in developing evaluation meth- odologies, encourage government agencies to conduct evaluations and provide support in their work. 160. In conclusion, let me stress that the attainment ofthe goals ofthe international Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, 1981 to 1990win require new approaches both in national strategies and in inter- national development co-operation. The magnitude of the problem calls for qualitative, not only quanti- tative, change. It is encouraging to witness the ongoing reappraisal of strategies that have failed. Let us all unite in constructive efforts to develop and implement the new strategies. Only then will the Decade hold the promise of success.

The Chinese Government is in favour of and supports the initiative proclaiming the decade 1981-1990 as the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. We have joined in initiating draft resolution A/C.2/35/L.29, which we hope will be adopted by consensus at this session of the General Assembly. water for daily use or drinks untreated surface water, and water pollution caused by industrial waste is still serious. The task of improving the environment and protecting our water resources thus remains arduous. For the speedy improvement of this situation, our Government has assigned to basic sanitation an im- portant place in our urban and rural development planning. We shall first solve the problems of drinking water and sanitation in those rural areas with shortage or endemic diseases and strive to bring. about a fun- damental improvement in our drinking water supply and sanitation before 1990. - .-_. -- .. 168. An expressive emblem has been designed for the Decade: a big drop of water formed by ten small ones. Like rivers merging in the sea, it symbolizes plenty as a result of accumulation. These drops of water will bring hope to the people thirsty for clean water and inspire them to fight for a better future. We, the Chinese Government and people, shall join hands with all of you here in making this hope come true. 169. Mr. BRATT (Nepal): This morning we heard opening statements by the Secretary-General and the executive heads of WHO, UNICEF and UNDP before this special meeting of the General Assembly devoted to the launching of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, which gave us a. clear picture of the international dimension of tbe need and strategies for action in achieving the goals of the Decade. 170. My country is keenly aware of the importance of the launching of the Decade, the impact which it could have upon international awareness of the need for a supply of safe drinking water and the provision of sanitary facilities to the multitudes of the popu- lation of this planet who so far have been deprived of these basic human needs and the importance that it has for the over-all social and economic develop- ment of the developing countries. 171. It was Habitat, the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements held at Vancouver in 1976, which recommended for the first time that quanti- tative targets be established by nations to ensure that all peoples had access to sale water supply and hygienic waste disposal by 1990. This was followed by the United Nations Water Conference at Mar del Plata in 1977, which further recommended that the period 1981-1990 be designated as the International 176. Nepal has just completed its fifth five-year plan and has embarked upon the sixth five-year na- 1990. The assistance we have been receiving in this sector from the World Bank is noteworthy. At the end of the current year, the supplying of drinking water and sewage systems will be completed in six major cities. In the remaining two phases of five years each-that is, from 1980 to 1985 and 1985 to 1990-my country, with the assistance of the World Bnak and donor countries, aims to provide all the urban sectors with supplies of safe drinking water and sewage facilities. 182. Nepal has also formulated a programme of its own with a view to achieving the goal of the Inter- national Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation De- cade in both urban and rural areas by 1990. There are no doubt manifold constraints. The shortage of internal financial resources and of technical staff at all levels, the lack of external resources required for the purchase of equipment, materials and supplies, the poor maintenance of the existing system and quality control norms, the lack of public education on sanitation and hygiene, the dispersal of the com- munity population, topographical difficulties posed by mountainous terrain and the high rate of population 186. An awareness of the urgency of the problem and firm commitments on the part of the countries concerned are no doubt essential, but the crucial need for a higher level of external assistance, which includes grants, low-interest-bearing loans and technical and capital assistance for the Decade, can hardly be over- estimated. The international community must adopt a more liberal approach and support increased na- tional commitments with particular reference to the least developed and most seriously affected countries. Financial contributions have to be increased in order to strengthen the capacity of United Nations bodies and other international and bilateral agencies that are co-operating with Governments in this field. Manpower surveys, the establishment of national training programmes, research, the development of the appropriate technology suitable to local condi- tions, massive campaigns to mobilize public opinion and the promotion of community awareness and par- ticipation should be undertaken and vigorously pursued in order to achieve the objective set forth in the Mar del Plata Action Plan and the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade. 187. My delegation is of the view that the Decade is not an end in itself and believes that it will provide

For the delegation of Ecuador, the launching of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade provides an opportunity to assess the progress our country has made in this vital area and to look to the immediate future by devising technical plans and ensuring the best possible alloca- tion of resources. 189. The provision of pure water to all inhabitants and environmental improvement in general are basic to social progress and to enhancing the quality of life in both rural and urban areas. Here theoretical pro- nouncements must be abandoned and we must begin the practice of protecting the dispossessed sectors and of adequate investment in a genuine redistribution of income, which would be reflected in the protection of our human resources that up to now have been afflicted with the scourges of disease and malnutrition. 190. President Jaime Roldos's National Plan for Development of the Democratic Government of Ecuador provides for 1980-1984 a dynamic programme of highest priority for improving the environment which is geared to significantly increasing the ser- vices providing drinking water and sanitation, in addition to reducing the contamination of the envi- ronment and protecting the ecology. That is how our Government adapts its action to fit its purpose of achieving economic development and social justice. 191. Ecuador's plan is aimed at achieving improve- ment in the situation of populations in both the urban and the rural areas. It intends to guarantee a con- tinuous and sufficient supply of drinking water to human settlements, while proceeding to make an inventory of surface and subterranean water re- sources. To protect this precious element, we are trying to prevent pollution at the source and the in- clusion of contaminants. At the same time, progress is being made in technology for the local manufacture of construction materials and equipment for the drinking water and sanitation services. 192. The Ecuadorian Institute of Sanitary Works, which is a part of the Ministry of Public Health, i~ responsible for planning, financing, design and con- struction, and it also has training and advisory func- tions. The policies for action include the provision of services for drinking water, sewage, the treatment of solid waste, and the monitoring of pollution in the basic national infrastructure. 193. There are master plans for sanitation infra- structure in the larger cities of Ecuador, Quito and Guayaquil, covering the next 30 years, and similar plans are being studied for other cities. In urban areas having less than 40,000 inhabitants, we are seeking to form municipal associations .so that there maybe uniform systems. In addition, particular attention is being paid to rural areas and to integral rural de- velopment projects. 206. Those figures make clear the enormous effort made by my Government in the field of public health in order to develop an adequate infrastructure, to 217. In India, we appreciate the collaboration of the different United Nations bodies, particularly UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank, as well as several external bilateral agencies, in our ongoing water supply and sanitation programmes. We look forward to the prospects of an even greater degree of co-operation and involvement of these agencies in the coming years, to help us in achieving the chal- lenging objectives of the Decade. 218. Safe drinking water supply and hygienic waste disposal are indispensable to human health and well- being. Most of the developing countries lag behind the developed nations-in the organization and delivery ofthese basic needs to their large populations. Women and children are the worst sufJerers. In fetching water from long distances our people in the rural areas have to waste considerable time and energy which could otherwise be gainfully utilized to improve their eco- nomic condition. 219. Water-borne diseases are a m~or cause of death, especially among infants and young children. Increased investment in the water supply and sanita- tion sector will, therefore, benefit the vulnerable sec- reasonable distance. Sources of water in many other villages have endemic cholera or guinea worm infesta- tior; or contain toxic elements which are hazardous to health. We have designated these villages as problem villages and my Govemement has resolved to provide safe drinking water to them within the next five years. Care will be taken to ensure that drinking water is available to all weaker sections of the community, with special attention to hilly and backward areas having difficult geographical terrain. An idea of the enormous size of the problem in the hilly terrain can be had from the fact that, as against the national aver- age of 177 persons per square kilometre, the density of population is as low as 6 persons per square kilo- metre in Arunachal Pradesh, and 62 in Himachal Pradesh, two of the hilly regions. 221. --The Government' oflo(lI3:; with shlfjawalulrlal Nehru as Prime Minister, in the very first Five-Year Plan, launched in 1954 the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme as part of the health plan to assist the states in their urban and rural water supply and sanitation schemes so as to provide adequate water supply and sanitation facilities in the entire country. A Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization was also set up in 1954 to provide technical advice and guidance to state govemments in the preparation and execution of these schemes. The programme and organization were transferred to the Union Ministry of Works and Housing in February 1973. 222. According to one estimate, by now 2,108 towns have been provided with water supply, which benefits a population of 10 crcre, or 100 million. Also 217 towns with a population ~ "10 million-36 per cent of the total urban population ot India-have been pro- vided with partial sewerage systems. Of the 576,000 villages, more than 97,200, with a total population of over 65 million, have by now been provided with piped water supply and hand-pump tube-wells. Of the re- maining villages, about 400,000 have some kind of water supply, such as conserved water wells and springs, but in about 79,000 villages water is not available within a depth of 15 metres or a distance of 1.6 kilometres. 223. Rural sanitation is an area where a serious beginning is yet to be made in many parts of our country. We propose to tackle the problem of rural sanitation on a wider scale in the coming years and would strive to provide a larger coverage to our rural population inthe coming decade. 224. The urban areas in our country are relatively better served by drinking water supply facilities. However, there are certain distortions, like inade- quate and intermittent supplies, which have to be corrected. The small and medium towns, a large number of which do not have protected water supply facilities now, have to be given greater attention. Even 227. We pledge our full support to the aims of the intemational Decade and we will strive to provide access to the maximum number of our people to safe water supplies and hygienic waste disposal facilities during this period. A beginning has already been made by declaring our intention to accord high pri- ority to rural drinking water supply in our new sixth Five-Year Plan. 228. Regarded as the elixir of life-Amrita-water has been an essential component in the ancient oriental tradition. The provision of drinking water to those in need has always been accorded a high priority in our way of life. Quenching the thirst not only of human beings but also of the birds and animals, has been considered an act of merit-punya. Water has also' been used as a sacred vehicle for the transfer of merit from one person to another person orgroupofpersons. 229. Our deep commitment to the objectives of this Decade and our sincere belief in the relevance and timeliness of this endeavour have been beautifully epitomized in the message sent by the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Ghandhi, to WHu on this oc- casion: "Gracious be divine Waters for our protection, be they for our drink, And stream on us bliss and happiness. Sovereigns over precious things and Rulers over men, Waters! We seek healing balm of you." This is an invocation from India's ancient religious book, the Rig Veda: "Water is essential to life, and civilization is ,something of a dialogue between man and water. The earliest humans settled on. river banks, besides lakes and on tb~ sea-coast, and there too flourished agricultural anu much of industrial activity. The proper management of water, for domestic' 'and economic purposes, is a basic aspect of social management and govemment... 233. Asa contribution to the launchingofthe Decade, I should like now to state briefly the developments that have occurred in Chile in the subsector of drinking water and sanitation, in the institutional, national, technical and administrative aspects, in accordance with the rationalization policies formulated some time ago. These policies have been strengthened and sup- plemented by those laid down by Chile as it joins in the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanita- tion Decade. 234. In Chile until 1973 a great many bodies were working in similar areas, without administrative or financial independence, with a minimum supply of human and technical resources, with a lack of training, a lack of planning and inefficiency in administration and funding. For example, in 1973 only 3 per cent of the budget of the Directorate of Sanitary Works was self-financing. 235. The Government of Chile, aware of the great importance of public drinking water supply and sanita- tion to the social and economic development of the country, established in 1977 the National Service for Sanitary Works [SENDQS). I am the National Di- 243. Both the World Bank and the Interamerican Development Bank have offered 'financial co-opera- tion in the coming years for the carrying out of other .-~. .. _. .. 246. Finally, it is with pride that I inform the As- sembly that the problem ofsanitation is ofsuch impor- tance to the Republic of Chile that the Political Con- stitution recently adopted, on 11 September, embodies a rule which ensures the right of all persons to live in a pollution-free environment and makes it the State's duty to ensure that that right remains unimpaired and to see that nature is preserved,

With two thirds of the population of developing countries without adequate safe drinking water and sanitation, the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade offers a much needed impetus to focus world attention on the global goal of access to safe water and sanitation for all by 1990. 248. The Canadian Government has been imnressed with the considerable international efforts~ which have been made to date to promote and support the Drinking Water Decade. Both Habitat and the United Nations Water Conference have helped to focus world consciousness on this critical global problem. 249. We are pleased to note that, in response to the Mar del Plata Action Plan, many Governments have incorporated plans for the Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade in their national development plans. We encourage those which have not done so to initiate similar actions. On the other hand, we think that the United Nations system is to be congratulated on its excellent efforts at co-ordination at the country level. 250. We are pleased with the success that UNDP has had in most countries in establishing technical support teams consisting of representatives from relevant United Nations agencies-and I would mention particularly UNICEF and WHO, not for- getting the many contacts which they have had with bilateral donors. I can say today that Canadian officials resident in some 25 developing countries are prepared to participate in these working groups. 254. In conclusion, let me say that we consider that safe water and sanitation are a deveiopment priority, . first because of their importance to health, and also because of the important contribution that they can make to improving economic productivity. The Canadian Government is pleased to participate in this launching ceremony, and we intend to be actively involved in efforts over the next decade to achieve the goals established here today for the entire international community. 255. Mr. FERNANDEZ (Dominican Republic) (interpretation from Spanish): I should firat like to express to the Secretary-General of the United Na- tions my delegation's satisfaction at the efforts being made by the Organization for the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. We have also noted the statements made today by repre- sentatives of international agencies within the United Nations system and the statements of previous speakers. We thank the Secretary-General for the report he has submitted [A/35/367]. 256. The delegation of the Dominican Republic wishes on this important occasion to express first of all its deep satisfaction at the endorsement given by the Second Committee to draft resolution A/C.2/35/ L.29 "Proclamation of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, 1981-1990". It is appropriate to stress that that document is of the 285. We should like to stress, however, that such external assistance would only be supportive of na- tional plans and priorities if recipient countries helped to correct the imbalance in the provision of such facilities between urban and rural areas. It is im- rerative, for the United Nations system to be able to strengthen its delivery capacity and its general supportive role, that over-all co-ordination be im- proved. In that regard, we welcome the steps that have been taken to implement the decisions con- tained in the Mar del Plata Action Plan to ensure effective co-ordination among organizations pro- viding technical and financial assistance. We support the view that the main thrust is to improve co-ordina- tion and delivery at the country level, since that is the place for the actual implementation of the Decade. We fervently hope that the UNDP resident repre- sentatives, who are to serve as focal points for co- ordination at the country level, will co-operate fully with the Governments of the recipient countries to ensure that the latter receive speedy responses to their requests for external assistance. 286. Our experience of other international decades or anniversaries leads us to emphasize the obvious: the need for an effective information system. Here again, we hope that the United Nations itself willplay a more decisive role since an effective information system is indispensable in promoting and increasing public awareness of the goals and objectives of the Decade. We believe that one of the main thrusts of the information system could be, for example, informing recipient countries of the type of external assistance available as well as informing donor countries of the type of projects for which such assistance is needed. 287. In conclusion, I should like to appeal to the international community to do its utmost to ensure that the goals and objectives, and specifically the targets of the Decade, do not remain merely pious declarations of intent but are meaningfully and effec- tively translated into reality. That calls for mutual understanding and genuine commitment on the part of all countries, developed and developing alike. We hope that the Decade will be a success and a trail- blazer for subsequent international decades and anniversaries and for international co-operation in general.

The date 10 November 1980 will be a significant one in the annals of mankind in its progress towards the achievement of a better 292. The international community noted the need for a global approach to this problem only a few years ago. The last four years have seen a number of inter- national conferences emphasizing the need for an urgent programme of action, at both international and national levels, to take concerted action to pro- vide safe and accessible drinking water and sanitation for all. 293. The United Nations Water Conference, held at Mar del Plata in 1977, outlined certain recommenda- tions for action at the national level. Successive Gov- ernments of Sri Lanka have given their attention to the problems of water and sanitation, but it was after the United Nations Water Conference that the present Government of Sri Lanka decided to co-ordinate and unify the efforts hitherto made, giving special em- phasis to ensuring adequate, safe and accessible water supply and sanitation facilities for the entire popu- lation. 294. I propose to refer briefly to the action taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in terms of the recom- mendations of the United Nations Water Conference. 295. One of the recommendations of the United Nations Water Conference was the development of national plans and programmes for community water supply and sanitation. In 1977, the Government of Sri ' Lanka embarked on a massive six-year development programme which gave high priority to the provision 300. Before concluding, the Sri Lanka delegation would like to thank the Administrator of UNDP, Mr~ Bradford Morse, whose valuable statement at this morning's meeting has been widely acknowl- edged, the Director-General of WHO, Mr. Mahler, and the Executive Director of UNICEF, Mr. James Grant, whose co-operative endeavour for the success of this venture which we inaugurate today must inevitably contribute to the well-being of people everywhere, particularly the people of the developing world. Let me also take this opportunity to express the appreciation and thanks of the Government of Sri Lanl<ato the donors, both bilateral and international, for the assistance they have provided to Sri Lanka in this field.

My delegation is happy to join in the launching today of the Interna- tional Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. 302. According to the report ofthe Secretary-General [A/J5/J67], between 40 and 72 per cent of the people in developing countries do not have access to safe drinking water at the present time. The situation with respect to sanitation is even worse, with three out of four persons being without sanitary facilities of any kind. MyG,()vemment is fully aware that securing an ample and safe water supply for those developing countries not only is indispensable for the develop- 308. The development of human resources has also been given greater emphasis in our development co-operation policy in recent years, and we believe that we shall be able to give full co-operation in the development of technical expertise in the developing countries through the acceptance of fellows and trainees and through the dispatch of experts as a part of our efforts in the implementation of the Interna- tional Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade.

In the preamble of the 314. Generally speaking, the problem of water and sanitation in the world is as varied as it is complex. However the question is put, the difficulties which arise in the elaboration of appropriate techniques to enable man to enjoy good quality water for his basic needs wherever he lives and to make it possible for aquatic life in all its forms to be protected so as to contribute to the maintenance of balance of the bio- sphere, appear as a constant factor, particularly in the least developed and poorest countries. 315. The Republic of Zaire, like many other de- veloping countries, is faced with drinking water and where the shortage of drinking water is the result of the non-hygienic nature of the environment, which fosters the spread of such diseases. Also everywhere there is a sanitation problem due to the inadequate disposal of organic wastes and insufficient knowledge about health practices. 320. I should like to take this opportunity to express the sincere gratitude ofthe Government of the Republic of Zaire to friendly countries.and international orga- nizations which are giving it their precious assistance to attain the objectives it has set itself, and we welcome this example of solidarity and co-operation. - . .. . ... 321. The Republic of Zaire intends to support the national effort in this sector so as to supply drinking water on a priority basis to the poorest sections of towns and the inhabitants of rural areas by a system of drinking fountains. 327. Furthermore, my country has established a National Action Committee for Water and Sanita- tion, the goals of which are: first, definition of the main choices, priorities, and development strategy within the drinking water and sanitation sector; secondly, planning and programmingsectoral studies, choice of projects and the establishment ofguidelines; thirdly, mobilization of resources, the search for capital and the development of financial and technical resources; and, fourthly, increasing the absorption capacity through strengthening the institutional infra- structure. 328. That is what we intend to do, and all those actions, it will be agreed, show the degree of commit- ment of my country to the efforts being undertaken by the United Nations within the framework of the Inter- national Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. 32~. Mr. HELSKOV (Denmark):At the 54thmeeting the representative of the Netherlands, on behalf of 336. It will be recalled that in paragraph 2 of Eco- nomic and Social Council resolution 1979/31, of 9 May 1979, concerning the launching of the Interna- tional Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, the Secretary-General was requested to prepare as a framework for the launching of the Decade, prior 341. First, we want to extend further the water and sewage services to cover every home in the urban areas. Secondly, we want to continue and intensify the programme to provide clean water supplies in the rural areas. Our immediate need is to meet the fol- lowing specific short-term targets: to extend water supply services to 80 per cent of the urban population by 1983; to provide water supply services to 25 per cent of the rural population by 1983 so that by the end of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sani- tation Decade all of Swaziland's population will have access to clean water. 342. A significant percentage of men, women and children in this world are without reasonable access to safe and adequate water supply and lack proper sanitation. This has resulted in low standards of hygiene. No community, no village, no human being can exist without water. Water is life itself. This was

No one can deny the impor- tance of water to human life and the life of plants and animals. However, nature has deprived some of us of it in certain areas of the world and made it abun- dant in other areas. Thus it is that we see arid areas, and other areas that are-replete with water in the form of rain, rivers and lakes. This variety might have been intended by nature so that man would work to harness the flow of water, purify it and make it useful for his purposes. 347. Since the beginning of time my country has exerted tremendous endeavours to control and orga- nize the flow of water, especially in the construction of dams and reservoirs and the channelling of rivers and springs. A few years ago the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, with technical assistance pro- vided by the United Soviet Socialist Rtpublics, was able to complete construction of the largest reservoir on the Euphrates. Today my country wishes to express its optimism and the importance it attaches to the recommendations and aims of our forthcoming De- cade. Such recommendations and aims represent positive steps by drawing the attention of the de- veloped and the developing countries to this important issue. 353. At the beginning of this morning's meeting we heard the President of the General Assernbly and the Secretary-General presenting their thol1ghts on the subject before us. We have also heard very stimulating statements from Mr. Mahler, Director-General of WHO, Mr. Grant, Executive Director of UNICEF, and Mr. Morse, Administrator of UNDP. Their state- ments presented very eloquently the need for pro- vision of safe water and adequate sanitation for all of us by the end of the coming Decade. 354. The launching of the Decade symbolizes the beginning of a maior effort ro provide the bulk of humanity with essential services, the absence ofwhich has long been responsible for human tragedy on a great scale. 355. Bangladesh joins previous speakers in under- scoring the special significance that it attaches to this very vital endeavour undertaken by the United Nations system. The gravity of the challenge that faces us today is highlighted when we note that one 356. If we achieve the targets set for this Decade, the cost of which has been estimated at SUS 30 billion a year for 10 years, infant mortality will be cut by half and sickness and suffering throughout the de- veloping world will be dramatically reduced. The cost should not be a factor indelaying the programmes for the Decade, particularly whenthisworldis spending more than SUS 500 billion every year on armaments. 357. In the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade we have agreed that prompt measures are to be taken to promote the general welfare of children and that the basic services henefitingchildren, including water and sanitation, should be extended and strengthened. This underscores the importance attached on a global basis to the provision of safe water and sanitation for our future generations. However, very few of the developing countries are in a position to finance the programmes necessary for the attainment of the targets of the Decade. For countries like Bangladesh the problem assumes greater magnitude because of poverty and lack of development. Broad international co-operation is, therefore, necessary. I should like to emphasize that without international effort the objectives of the Decade will remain unattained. 358. The Government of Bangladesh has duly re- flected its commitment to expand the supply of essen- tial services to its citizens, including safe drinking water and sanitation, in the second five-year plan for the period 1980-1985. Bangladesh has already estab- lished a National Action Committee for the imple- mentation of the objectives of the Decade, and ap- propriate programmes have been incorporated in over-all plans in the health sector as a whole. We have already taken steps concerning institutional improvements and required human resources de- velopment to enhance our state of preparedness for the attainment of the targets of the Decade. In this connexion, Bangladesh notes with deep appreciation the role played by UNICEF in our country. This agency has greatly assisted the Government in its programmes for providing safe drinking water and undertaking adequate sanitation measures for its people. We also thank WHO and UNDP for their active participation inthese programmes. Inexpression of the importance attached to it by Bangladesh, we have sponsored the draft resolution on the proclama- tion of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. 359. In concluding, we express our fervent hope that the goals and objectives of this Decade willbe achieved in their totality and that a lastingchange willbe brought about in the quality of life of hundreds of millions of human beings on this planet. manage affairs locally in line with the Government's decentralization policy. The project is considered to serve as a pi1t}t scheme for other provincial projects to cover the rural and poor urban areas. 370. The Government of Egypt has approved in principle the holding of a ceremony to launch the Decade in the country. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Cairo on Monday, 24 November 1980. It w:ll include the dissemination of information among various concerned agencies. Programming for mass information campaigns for community appreciation and participation will be started early after the ceremony. 371. In spite of a great deal of effort exerted during the preparatory period, both at the national and the international levels, the goals are still calling for more sustained dedication and persistent co~ordinated actions. One crucial issue is the enhancement of the co-ordinating activities of the two counterpart groups,

May I also take it that the General Assembly adopts the draft decision recommended by the Second Com- mittee in paragraph 18of its report? The draft decision was adopted (decision 35/405).

With the resolutionjust adopted the General Assembly has proclaimed the period 1981-1990 as the "Inter- national Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation De- cade", during which Member States W!lI ~ssume a commitment to bring about a substantial Improve- ment in the standards and levels of services in drinking water supply and sanitation by the year 1990. I express the hope that the goals of the Decade will be fully achieved. The meeting rose at 8 p.m,