Because of its relevance to water services, we present a free translation of the “Dakar Declaration on Water Security and Sanitation for Peace and Development”, resulting from the 9th World Water Forum recently organized by the World Water Council and the Government of Senegal.

A “Blue Deal” on water security and sanitation for peace and development

Because of its relevance to water services, we present a free translation of the “Dakar Declaration on Water Security and Sanitation for Peace and Development”, resulting from the 9th World Water Forum recently organized by the World Water Council and the Government of Senegal.

We, the participants of the 9th World Water Forum, held in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, from 21 to 26 March 2022:

Guided by the principles and ideals of the Charter of the United Nations;

Recognizing water as essential for people and nature, and thus the need to renew and further reinforce our commitments to implement immediate actions to address water and sanitation challenges for development, improving livelihoods and eradicating poverty;

Reaffirming our determination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG6, seeking to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”;

Mindful of our commitments on water and sanitation contained in UN Resolution 64/292 (2010), the Paris Climate Agreement, the Sendai Agreement for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Daegu Declaration and the establishment of the International Decade of Action on Water for Sustainable Development;

Reaffirming the relevance of the Africa Agenda 2063 and the African Water Vision 2025 on access to quality water resources and sanitation in Africa and globally;

Determined to fulfil our shared vision for a world in which every person has access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a basic human right, including through respect for related human rights;

Aware that resilience to climate, demographic, health and food changes and the fight against water stress require water availability in quality and quantity, to guarantee the health of populations, the sustainability of ecosystems and inclusive growth;

Recognizing the urgent need to pay greater attention to water issues in rural areas as a means of reducing inequalities, creating opportunities for youth and women, fostering development, generating employment and addressing the causes of national and international migration;

Concerned about the financing gap for the investments needed to achieve the SDG6 goals;

Aware of the need to use water as an instrument of cooperation for peace, solidarity between countries and peoples and regional integration, through the promotion of dialogue, peace, stability and better coordination and partnership, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has highlighted our common destiny;

We urge the international community to:

A. Ensure the right to water and sanitation for all

Accelerate the implementation of the right to safe drinking water and sanitation for all through appropriate legislative frameworks and mobilize all actors through integrated and inclusive strategies;

Promote the effective application of international humanitarian law, in particular the additional protocols to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which provide for the protection of water and sanitation systems, which are vital in times of conflict;

B. Ensure the availability of water resources and their resilience

Adopt sustainable and integrated management plans to preserve water resources and ecosystems and ensure resilience to climate change and demographic pressures;

Raise awareness of these issues in order to induce change with more sustainable and responsible production and consumption practices;

Further protect wetlands, promote conservation of traditional water systems, recycling and reuse of treated wastewater;

C. Ensure adequate financing

Mobilise adequate public financial resources, as well as those from development partnerships, to invest in water and sanitation infrastructure and develop ‘blue’ and ‘green’ jobs, notably for young people, women and the rural world;

Encourage innovative financing mechanisms and private sector investments in water and sanitation;

Advocate for the effective implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, in particular investments in water and sanitation infrastructure;

Improve international financing models to generate more investment in water and sanitation;

D. Ensuring better and more inclusive water governance

Promote, at the appropriate level, transparent, efficient and inclusive management of water and sanitation services, as well as diversified and coordinated management models;

Implement integrated management plans for the healthy, equitable and sustainable use of water resources, ensuring a balance between socioeconomic development, preservation of resource quality and the protection and conservation of ecosystems;

Promote greater coherence between water policies and those on agriculture, rural development, health, biodiversity, energy and industry, among others;

Design knowledge-based water-related public policies, support innovation, create and build the capacities of all categories of stakeholders, for a more sustainable management of water resources and the environment;

E. Strengthen cooperation

Pay special attention to water issues in bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including at sub-regional, regional and international levels;

Strengthen basin agencies and support their efforts towards inclusive, sustainable and integrated water resources management;

Strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership in the management of transboundary basins, including aquifers, in particular by promoting the exchange of information, experiences and good practices;

Make dialogue, coordination and cooperation the core of dispute resolution, in the true spirit of hydro-diplomacy.

In view of the above, we hereby:

We recommend that the Government of the Republic of Senegal and the World Water Council, as co-organizers of the Forum, present this Declaration as a contribution to the 2023 United Nations Water Conference;

We consider the results of the Forum as a complement to this Declaration;

We invite the international community and all stakeholders to support this “Dakar Declaration on Water Security and Sanitation for Peace and Development” and contribute to the effective implementation of the outcomes of the Dakar Forum;

We express our gratitude to the Head of State, the Government, the People of the Republic of Senegal and the World Water Council for their support in organizing the 9th World Water Forum.

Dakar, March 25, 2022

You can check the statement here: version EN and FR.