World Water Forum 8: Launch of Dutch Blue Deal programme in support of SDG6 on water

Twenty million people in forty catchment areas worldwide that are better protected against water and have access to sufficient, clean water. That is the goal of the new Blue Deal programme that has been launched simultaneously in The Hague, the Netherlands, and at the Netherlands Pavilion of the World Water Forum in Brasil.

The announcement was made on the occasion of World Water Day on 22 March.

Long-term partnerships
The regional water authorities of the Netherlands, in close cooperation with national ministries, will focus on long-term local partnerships on capacity development and integrated water resource management (IWRM).

The programme will not comprise individual projects but will be based on long-term local partnerships.

Some 30 Dutch water experts working at regional water authorities will be facilitated by the Blue Deal programme to exchange knowledge internationally and apply their experiences on water governance and integrated water management abroad.

Greater impact
Vice chairman Hein Pieper of Dutch Water Authorities mentioned the greater potential impact of the programme that involves two national ministries.

‘If you start with water, you can prevent many problems. Water and food security belong together, as does water shortages and climate refugees’, Pieper added.

Continuity
Dutch Minister Sigrid Kaag for Foreign Trade and Development: “The Sustainable Development Goals have a 2030 horizon. For me it is important that the Blue Deal has that same horizon.’

‘No separate projects, but long-term partnerships, continuity. Impact on 20 million people who are better protected against flooding, have access to water - for example for irrigation - or whose wastewater is better purified; I hope for that.”

World Water Forum
Chairman Peter Glas of regional water authority De Dommel presented the new programme at the Netherlands pavilion at the 8th World Water Forum.

He specially mentioned the importance of the long-term relation with all stakeholders in the catchments that will be selected. ‘We aim to secure enough clean fresh water for 20 million people worldwide. For that we want to tackle their water problems at their root causes. We will follow the water to be able to identify all underlying issues.’

Self-reliant communities
According to Glas the aim is to make the communities in the catchments self-reliant. Restoration of the local ecosystems will be an important element, he foresaw.

The first year of the programme will be used to define the partnerships. In 2019 the first partnerships are to start their programmes that will include workshops, peer reviews and exhanges.

Stay tuned as news items on this website will keep you posted on the Dutch contributions to the World Water Forum 8.

Read more in this website
● World Water Forum 8: A look back on a Forum under pressure to achieve SDG6 by 2030, 29 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: Huge potential for nature based solutions to reduce water risks, 28 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: Revitalised IWRM-concept can boost action on SDG6 for water, 27 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: World Water Atlas gathers compelling stories on urgent water issues, 26 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: Water Youth Network strengthens ties with research institute Deltares, 21 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: A call on the world to fully value water, not just prizing, 21 March 2018
● World Water Forum 8: Thirsty cities need to double investments in water infrastructure, 20 March 2018
● Special page on Dutch participation at World Water Forum 8

More information
World Water Forum 8
www.worldwaterforum8.org

Dutch water authorities
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 351 97 51
www.dutchwaterauthorities.com