The report aims to provide a picture of and numbers on the Norwegian bilateral development cooperation within water supply, sanitation and water resource management between 1999 and 2003.
The report consists of three main parts, based on: a study on political priorities and international commitments for the development cooperation within water supply, sanitation and water resource management of significance for the period of 1999-2003; a study on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) and NORAD’s databases for statistics on bilateral development cooperation during the period of 1999-2003 in order to map the Norwegian contribution to water supply, sanitation and water resource management; and a discussion on how political agenda and priorities and international commitments are being followed up in bilateral development cooperation within water supply, sanitation and water resource management.
The report shows that the proportion of the Norwegian bilateral and multi-lateral aid that goes to water supply, sanitation and water resource management made up three percent only in 1999, and the contribution was reduced to half the amount from 1999 to 2003.
Recommendations from the paper include:
- a summary of results and experiences from the development cooperation in the water sector aiming that the aid to a greater extent should reach the poorest
- in order to contribute to reaching the Millennium Goal for water, a greater share of the Norwegian aid should go to water supply, improvements of sanitary conditions and water resource management
- the Norwegian Government should secure the right of water for the poorest and see to it that the basic needs for water supply and sanitary services are being covered, stressing the users’ interests.