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Countries Take Up The Challenge Germany announces national follow up to WCD Report"Platform for dialogue" between government, industry and NGOs proposed. A dialogue forum on the WCD process and report was convened by Germany's Minister for Development Cooperation in Berlin, on January 16th and 17th. Ms. Wieczoreck Zeul announced that the her Government will establish a new 'platform for dialogue' with German industry and NGOs to identify how best Germany can respond to the report. BMZ and GTZ had worked in close collaboration with public agencies, NGOs and the Deutsches Talsperrenkommitte (German chapter of ICOLD) in preparing the dialogue. During her opening speech, the Minister committed her Ministry to undertaking a review of its own guidelines and to promote the consideration of the recommendations by the World Bank and other international financing institutions. The Forum was attended by 150 representatives of Germany's government departments, the private sector and NGOs as well as UNEP, IFC IISD and the Governments of the UK and Netherlands. More than 25 speakers from all sectors of society presented their institutions' perspectives on the report and its implications for the future. These presentations were followed by a series of working groups to assess next steps. A clear sense of the meeting emerged that the WCD report provided an important baseline for future policy development and could serve as reference point for good conduct in the planning, construction and operation of dams. In her closing remarks, BMZ Deputy Minister, Uschi Eid, noted the remarkable spirit with which the meeting had for the first time in years succeeded to bring all sides of the debate in Germany together in a forward looking and positive dialogue. BMZ will now convene a meeting of the 'platform for dialogue' to agree on a timetable and key issues that should guide the review process for German development cooperation and financing. U.K. Prepares to Implement WCD RecommendationsGovernment, industry, NGOs advocate follow-up within and between sectors More than 100 representatives of government departments, the private sector, NGOs and the academic community participated in a national dialogue on the WCD report hosted by the British Dams Society on February 1st , in London. The meeting offered the first formal opportunity for stakeholders in the UK to present their views on the WCD report and explore options for follow up both within the UK and in terms of the involvement of UK actors internationally. "The report is an impressive achievement. Not least because 12 people, representing a range of views, have managed to reach consensus... the report puts people at the centre. This is a consistent theme and it is the report's greatest strength. Dams are not seen as intrinsically good or bad, but as capable of delivering benefits," said Chris Mullin, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. He went on to stress that the British Government had already established a cross-departmental review to coordinate a new approach, including an assessment of the implications for export credit guarantees. He also pledged, "DFID will offer support to governments in developing countries wanting to implement the Dams Commission report. We are willing to provide assistance on applying criteria and implementing the guidelines." Geoff Sims, member of the British Dams Society and Vice President of ICOLD, noted that "some of my ICOLD colleagues are anxious lest the procedure proposed by the WCD will add unacceptable cost and time to desperately needed projects. But he called upon ICOLD to promote a culture of evaluation and self-learning and to develop guidelines to help engineers communicate effectively with non-technical people, adding, "as engineers we have a duty to use this document and the guidance it contains for the betterment of mankind. It is our duty to communicate with people who have no technical education but whose lives are deeply affected by our projects." Professor Adrian Long, who chaired the discussions, noted that the focus of attention must now shift to follow up both within the profession but also in terms of a productive dialogue with the various stakeholders in the UK. A consultation by Government with the private sector, NGOs and academics will be convened in the near future to chart the way forward.
Copyright © 1998,1999,2000,2001 The World Commission on Dams |
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