The G-77 Ministerial Forum on Water, held from 23-25 February 2009 in Muscat, Oman, called for enhanced South-South co-operation in the water sector, including water resources management and water supply and sanitation. The forum reached a consensus on a set of joint decisions called ‘The Muscat Declaration on Water‘, which will be presented at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul.

The declaration encouraged developing countries to work together to strengthen strategic partnerships for sharing of knowledge, innovation and transfer of technology for better better access to safe water and sanitation. There were also calls to invest more in biotechnology and dams.

Although most of the recommendations were general in nature, a few specific actions were mentioned:

• establishment of, within the Trust Fund for Science and Technology, a mechanism for South-South cooperation in the field of water;
• establishment of a G-77 achievement award in the field of water;
• an agreement to hold annual forums on water, the next one to be hosted by Iran.

The Group of 77 was established in 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries and is the largest intergovernmental organisation of developing states in the United Nations

[1] Read the full text of the 'Muscat Declaration on Water‘ here

Source: Kabeer Yousuf, Oman Daily Observer / zawya.com, 29 Feb 2009

Tags: policies & legislation, sanitation, technology, water resources management, water supply