The Third Committee on Human Development and Civil Society (CHDCS) also took up the issue of improving the access to and the efficiency and affordability of water and sanitation. The state’s widespread and monopolistic dominance in its provision has contributed to the poor state of these services in most African countries.

In considering alternatives to make the sector more responsive to consumer needs, more governments are designing collaborative approaches involving local communities in planning and maintenance and/or building partnerships with the private sector for delivery and management of services.

Involving the private sector as a partner allows states to avoid the political pitfalls of full privatization, utilize new technology and expertise, share risks, and gain access to increased capital to improve operating efficiency. Examining the viability of and subsequent type of PPP arrangement varies by country and should be a product of national consultation.

Committee members shared reforms undertaken to make water and sanitation available to the population. In the most successful cases where rural and urban areas are being extensively served, national water policies have been adopted, water codes established, and financially independent administrative bodies to oversee service delivery developed.

It was agreed that services planning and setting of tariffs should be regulated by the state. Legal frameworks should consider and examine the issue of ‘pay what you use,’ in order to make water, in particular, available, which encompasses water mobilization, purification and then distribution. Moreover, the state should also promote policies and processes that ensure that the poorest of the poor have access to drinking water without charge.

Delegates stressed that some countries have not sufficiently facilitated the involvement of civil society in service delivery. Accordingly, subsequent state reforms should prioritize strong, open and transparent regulatory frameworks and institutions for more effective public-private partnerships, including those with CSOs.

More a more thorough discussion of the topic, feel free to contact Mamadi Kourouma at 33676.