Water Management: The Key Role of the International Agencies

Abstract

Numerous international agencies have been providing important assistance through technical advice, and some of them have been providing financing as well. Owing to ongoing and impending water crises and conflicts both within and among the developing countries, the need for such assistance is growing, but needs better coordination and the setting of priorities. Additionally, international agencies must increase their roles in setting policies that affect water use such as trade restrictions that impede export by the developing countries of high-value, labor-intensive agricultural products that consume less water. High-level international agreements are needed in order to establish an adequately staffed and funded World Water Institute that would be charged to carry out these tasks. The planning of steps needed for the establishment of the WWI should be carried out by a team drawn from staff of UN agencies, from agencies affiliated with the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, and from the World Bank.