Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-24-Speech-3-329"
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". – Mr President, I listened to Mrs Corbey earlier today and she said that the concept of sustainable development offers a kind of magic, a kind of understanding, and requires a holistic approach. Such a concept is also an extremely difficult one because it has to be translated into what Mr Davies mentioned. It has to be translated into the concrete number of new wells that have to be drilled or into providing pipes and other items necessary for good sanitation facilities for poor people. That is why I like your questions so much, because this is exactly how we have to proceed now.
What have we been doing? We are, as you know, preparing a report for the end of the year which will explain exactly what this 'Water for Life' initiative means and what it contains. The discussion so far in the Council has presented difficulties for some Member States. The Council is not fond of the idea of setting up a secretariat for the particular purpose of a water fund – although perhaps you should ask the Council about this, because who am I to say how it discusses the matter? Perhaps the Council wants greater flexibility in the use of this EDF money, at least, that is how I understand the direction the discussion is taking in the Council.
However, when we discuss the 'Water for Life' initiative, it covers both water and sanitation. There are a number of initiatives that range from looking at the approach to river-basin management, to big rivers in Africa, to very concrete projects like drilling wells.
In our report, which you will receive before the end of 2003, we will show exactly what has been achieved so far and how we can establish ownership in poor countries, for example in Africa. We have concentrated on Africa, but we also need to get its people on board and allow them to feel that this is their project, that they can work on it and achieve good results. I do not have the figures to give you the exact numbers, but we are compiling them now to provide clear evidence of what has been done so far and of how we think the next steps should be designed.
Our other problem is that we know each other, perhaps, too well in our discussions on sustainable development. However, this matter has to be integrated into all other policy areas. This is exactly what you have been saying in all contexts, from trade to agriculture, energy or transport. We have to subject the matter to the Johannesburg check that Mrs Corbey has mentioned. We should be able to come back and see whether we have changed the time perspective or the geographical perspective. We will, of course, continue to ensure that this policy is integrated better in what we do and ensure policy coherence, because that is really the major challenge.
I cannot agree more with you on, amongst the other issues you mentioned, the need for education and research, which applies across borders. The next opportunity for us is to return to it when we provide the report and keep it constantly on our common agenda.
I should like to thank Members for their contributions."@en1
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