French Water Partnership

Water is a key part of the policy of developed, emerging, transition and developing countries, as well as countries in emergency situations. They face a two-pronged challenge: sustainable quantitative and qualitative resource management, as well as universal access to drinking water and sanitation.

In view of resolution A/RES/54/175 dated 17th December 1999, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, setting out the principle that “the right to drinking water is a fundamental right”,

In view of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly Goal 7, approved by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2000, which commit the international community to reducing by half the proportion of the world’s population without sustainable access to a water supply by 2015,

In view, as regards the European Union, of the internal water policy based on the principles laid out in the framework directive published in 2000, the policy for candidate countries, the European Neighbourhood Policy for Mediterranean countries, and foreign policy based on the EU Water Initiative and the EU Water Facility,

In view of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002), where the international community undertook to reduce by half the proportion of the world’s population without sustainable access to basic sanitation services by 2015, to develop national plans for integrated and efficient water resource management by 2005, and restated that water belongs to humanity and should be protected and equally shared out in order to ensure access to water and sanitation for all,

In view of the undertakings of the Water Action Plan, adopted, under the French presidency, by the G8 countries during the Evian Summit in June 2003,

In view of the various contributions made by French water stakeholders towards achieving these objectives, notably:

• The State, which draws up and monitors the application of French legislation, which participates in the drawing up of European legislation and implements France’s international action, notably by setting itself the target of doubling its public development aid in this sector, particularly in Africa, relying on its key operator, the French Development Agency, and its bilateral and multilateral financial instruments,
• Numerous regional authorities, apart from their work organising the public water and sanitation services, have for a long time taken decentralised cooperation initiatives in this area, using their general budgets, and have been reinforced in this by the Water Agencies and the publication of the law of 9th February 2005.
• Businesses, SME-SMI and large groups, have developed widely acknowledged expertise and knowledge in France and at international level.
• Developmental, environmental, emergency aid and consumer non-governmental organizations, which take the debate forward, launch and implement projects on the ground and form a vital link between populations and institutions, in the North and the South.
• The scientific, technical and research organizations in which knowledge is generated, exchanged and circulated amongst professionals, play an active role in consultation, and providing solutions and training, in France and at international level.

In view of the joint approach implemented by French water stakeholders in the French Coordination for the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico and its positive impact on the outcome of the Forum, the contribution of European stakeholders and in terms of strengthening relations between French stakeholders,

The members of the French Coordination for Water, signatories of this charter, belonging to different categories of French water stakeholders working on projects at international level, confirm their will to respect the following articles and the remit and skills of each stakeholder in their work:

Article 1: Purpose
The Coordination brings together French water stakeholders with the aim of participating, in a coordinated and effective way, in the major issues and international events relating to water.

Article 2: Objectives
The Coordination has the following objectives:

• To collect and make available information on members’ and the international community’s initiatives, particularly regarding progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
• To draw up and promote joint messages and circulate its members’ knowledge at events, bodies and networks at international and European level.
• To make contributions to the work of the representatives of the French government who are responsible for discussions on water policy in the EU institutions and in intergovernmental organizations and institutions. 

Article 3: Founding principles
The Coordination seeks to supplement the initiatives set up directly by its members, by providing added value. The Coordination is kept regularly informed and debates the work of different groups and bodies in France.

Article 4: Governance and resources
The Coordination functions in a participative, flexible and consensual manner, with no group of members being given pre-eminence. A steering committee, made up of representatives of the different categories of members who have been duly appointed by their peers, rules on the Coordination’s orientations and programme of initiatives. The steering committee organises the running of the Coordination, designating a Committee within the organization which prepares the Coordination’s work.
The Coordination’s programme of initiatives is funded on a voluntary basis in the most balanced way possible by its members.
Article 5: Programme of Initiatives
The Coordination’s programme of initiatives is drawn up based on an inventory and analysis of the events, bodies, networks and debates in which it is worth developing French information work and knowledge.