Water for Growth and Development
Water for Growth and Development
Reference point for discussion from the beacons
How can water resources be managed and developed to promote growth and alleviate poverty in a responsible manner?
The dynamics of water, growth and poverty are extremely complex, and highly dependent upon specific physical, cultural, political and economic circumstances. In many countries, the memory of the positive role that ‘yesterday’s’ water investments played in underpinning growth has been lost, although the associated, often unanticipated, costs may still be being met. In other countries, the future costs of ‘today’s’ water development are not recognized and irresponsible investments proceed, without adequate social and environmental safeguards.
Our ambition is to provoke discussion and strengthen understanding of the importance of water resources management and development in enabling responsible economic growth and poverty alleviation —fully mindful of the fact that this is just one of many aspects that must be weighed and understood in managing water resources.
Key messages from the Voices of the Forum :
- Water security and development requires a minimum level of water infrastructures
- Financing water for development
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities of authorities and local providers
- Corruption is a barrier to reaching water security
- Respect for the spiritual and cultural values of water in development
- Without participation, no sustainable development
- Waste water management to fight poverty

Sessions synthesis
Please click on a an underlined session number to accede to the corresponding session synthesis.
FT1.01
Water and free trade agreements
FT1.02
Waste water management to fight poverty
FT1.04
Linking poverty reduction and water management : reaching the MDGs through investing in water
FT1.05
Achieving water security: Innovative solutions for system resilience
FT1.06
Water and transport
FT1.07
How to overcome corruption in water resources and service management ? Action for development
FT1.08
The global potential for major water system reoptimization to restore downstream ecosystems and human livelihoods
FT1.09
Financing water infrastructures in the Americas
FT1.10
Water for growth and development in Africa
FT1.13
Financing mechanisms for local water initiatives
FT1.14
Call for proposal mechanisms: A way to directly support local stakeholders in implementing local actions for local development
FT1.15
Is water alive ? Indegeneous understandings of water
FT1.16
Land and water resources development in semi-arid and arid regions
FT1.17
Gender mainstreaming and water for growth and development: diversity as an agent of change
FT1.18
Innovative strategies for financing projects by local authorities. How to implement transparent, responsible and ethic models ?
FT1.19
Young people in the water crisis and the challenges to face
FT1.20
Megacities: Paradigms for urban water management
FT1.21
Ensuring dams are a platform for growth and sustainable development (part I)
FT1. 22
The dynamics of water and growth : Issues and political reflections
FT1.23
Local initiatives (Community, involvement, stakeholders)
FT1.24
Groundwater protection in Africa
FT1.25
Ensuring dams are a platform for growth and sustainable development (part II)
FT1.26
Access to finance for local governments
FT1.27
New concepts and tools for education and capacity building to achieve the MDG's
FT1.28
Water and energy
FT1.29
Empowerment of young people for water management and the strengthening of the appropriate use of water
FT1.30
Assessment of policy interventions in the water sector
FT1.32
Community water management in Latin America
FT1.33
Successful indegeneous approaches to IWRM and achieving the MDG's
FT1.34
Water infrastructures for sustainable and equitable developmenty
FT1.35
Indigeneous towns and the water
FT1.36
Business, water and sustainable development
FT1.38
Sustainable and secure delivery of water: unique solutions proposed by the consulting industry
FT1.39
Shared groundwater resources for sustainable management
FT1. 40
The mass media: Key elements for a conscience and social participation in the problematic of the water