*EPF408 09/05/2002
Text: U.S., Japan to Cooperate on Providing Clean Water to Poor
(Sept. 4 announcement at World Summit in South Africa) (710)

The United States is strengthening efforts with Japan to provide clean water and sanitation to the world's poor.

In a September 4 press release issued in Johannesburg, South Africa, the U.S. delegation to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) said the two countries will pursue joint or parallel water projects whenever possible.

The announcement came during a ceremony on the last day of the summit attended by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Japan's Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi. Access to clean water was one of the main themes discussed during the summit.

The initiative will accelerate and expand international efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation.

The U.S. delegation announced at the summit that the United States will provide more than $970 million over the next three years for clean water projects. Japan has provided more than 40 million people access to safe drinking water and will implement clean water grant, loan and technical assistance programs, according to the release.

(Note: In the following text, "billion" equals 1,000 million.)

(begin text)

Delegation of the United States of America
To the World Summit on Sustainable Development
Johannesburg, South Africa
August 26-September 4, 2002

September 4, 2002

Clean Water for Poor

The governments of Japan and the United States today launched the Clean Water for People initiative -- a partnership to improve sustainable management of fresh water resources. The initiative, announced jointly by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, will accelerate and expand international efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal, which aims to cut in half by 2015 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water and who lack access to improved sanitation.

Water is one of the main topics of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and the focus of the Third World Water Forum and the International Ministerial Conference, to be held in Japan next March. Today, nearly one-third of the World's population lives with chronic shortages of water that directly threaten human health, agriculture and economic development. More than 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, more than 2 billion to adequate sanitation. Some 6,000 children die every day from water related diseases. By 2025, nearly two-thirds of the World's population will experience some form of water-related stress.

"Water is the key to life," Secretary Powell said in remarks at today's rollout ceremony. "Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is essential to life, dignity and well being."

Foreign Minister Kawaguchi said, "Rising from Johannesburg, I am confident that this stream of partnership will become a big river, as it runs through Asia and Europe next year."

In June 2002, Prime Minister Koizumi and President Bush jointly announced the "Partnership for Security and Prosperity," in which they pledged to expand bilateral cooperation to tackle global challenges. Beginning today, Japan and the United States will strengthen their joint efforts to tackle the water issue.

The U.S. will provide more than $970 million over the next three years to improve access to water and sanitation, promote watershed management and proper hygiene practices, and increase the productivity of water. In addition to grant support, the U.S. will provide local currency investment guarantees to encourage private investment in water services. Examples of activities include the "West Africa Water Initiative," the "Urban Water Initiative," and the "Clean Water Investment Guarantee" program.

Japan has provided more than 40 million people access to safe drinking water and sanitation in the past five years. These efforts will continue with Japan's initiative to improve access to safe and stable water and sanitary sewage systems. Japan will implement its grant and loan aid as well as technical cooperation for this purpose in close cooperation with local municipalities, NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and the business sector.

Japan and the U.S. plan to strengthen their cooperation and pursue joint or parallel projects whenever possible. To facilitate these efforts, the governments will establish a working group to discuss next steps and to formulate concrete proposals towards the Third World Water Forum and the Forum's International Ministerial Conference. Japan and the United States encourage other governments, international organizations, NGOs and private industries to join as partners in this initiative.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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