19 July 2000
Countdown To Launch Begins For World Commission On Dams
Launch date and venue announced

The World Commission on Dams completed its Eighth consecutive meeting of Commissioners since their formation, moving from "process" to "product," and turning its comprehensive findings into authoritative recommendations and guidelines for water and power development.

Eleven Commissioners recently met with the Secretariat at the Court Classique de Oudekraal on the Cape Peninsula and began the herculean effort to reduce more than 400 pages of essential information from the WCD knowledge base into a concise, cohesive and compelling story.

The WCD Secretariat worked at breakneck pace to prepare documents for the meeting. The compressed agenda was to

(1) agree on the half dozen or so critical issues for which the report will "add value" to development;
(2) decide how to revise and complete the information base of the report; and
(3) direct the Secretariat on how to develop the final draft of the report in terms of style, spirit and voice of the report.
(4) In other news the finance committee reported that the Commission was fiscally secure, and the Communications team reported its strategic plan for dissemination for before, on, and after the launch.

Release of the Final Report is firming up. Invitations have been extended to several Nobel-prize winners to take active part in helping turn its Final Report words into action.

Launch Date: 16 NOVEMBER 2000
Venue: CABOT HALL, LONDON

The next and last Ninth Meeting of the Full Commission will be the 25, 26, 27th of August, where it will review the draft of the Final Report in its entirety for the first time.