Professor Kader Asmal, former Chair of the World Commission on Dams (WCD) and current education minister in South Africa, threatens to withdraw his patronage of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) over the recent Camdessus-led World's Panel report on financing water infrastructure. He does this in a strong letter to GWP chair, Dr. Margaret Catley-Carlson. Mr. Kasmal is both astounded and disappointed that the report chooses effectively to ignore the framework of five core values and seven strategic priorities proposed by the WCD. He is also unhappy that the only reference to the WCD report - in a footnote - is a clear "misrepresentation and potentially damaging". He feels that the Camdessus report has missed an opportunity, and as a high profile product of the GWP it puts him in a difficult position. Ï will, regrettably, have to reconsider my patronage of the GWP". Mr. Asmal hopes that the answers will "go some way towards recitifying what is a most unfortunate direction for GWP and other sponsors of this execise".

Contact: Pamela Morris, pmorris@wol.co.za

Source: Letter Kader Asmal, 10 Apr 2003

UNEP - Dams and Development Project, http://www.unep-dams.org

Tags: water resources management