INBO - Newsletter

21 INBO Newsletter n° 27 - May 2019 The Americas Organization of American States (OAS) The Organization of American States (OAS) is the oldest regional insti- tution in the world. It was created in 1948 after the signing of the Charter of the OAS to ensure that its Member States “achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territo- rial integrity, and their independence.” One of the central themes in the struc- turing process of the cooperation ties and in the construction of common interests amongst the Organization Member States is sustainable manage- ment of water resources. Water constitutes an opportunity to propel Pan-American union and soli- darity which leads to consider that the strengthening of democracy and coop- eration is fundamental to guarantee the human right to water. The geographical layout of water resources in the Americas is integrat- ing, since it provides the conditions needed to promote solidarity and cooperation. As an example of this, twenty-four countries in the region share sixty-eight transboundary aquifer systems. Taking into account that water is also a promoter of development, its availabil- ity in the American continent is favora- ble for its stimulation as about 45% of the fresh water worldwide is located in the region. In spite of the development possibil- ities that water resources offer, in the Americas there are many challenges that persist related to access to water of optimal quality and sufficient quan- tity, conflicts concern water resources and use of transboundary waters. OAS assumed 50 years ago the water resources concerns of the Member States as an important item in its agenda. This led the Organization to undergo a series of changes in its institutional structure and in its normative and conceptual frameworks to respond to water management challenges in the Americas. OAS was able to promote a process through which water became an artic- ulating element of peace, integration and sustainable development in the Americas. Integrated Water Resources Management has been the approach promoted from the OAS Depart- ment of Sustainable Development (DSD), debates, counseling services, exchanges of experience and good practices have been fostered, as well as cooperation projects with different governments and cooperation agen- cies to foster water governance and governability, a dialogue culture in the Americas, the sustainable use of water resources, the human dimension of water and its management as well as transboundary water resources system management, among other issues. The lessons learning during over fifty years of water resources manage- ment at the OAS have been multiple. Direct work in different countries have modeled the experiences and the approaches of the Organization, allowing the formulation of propos- als that are pertinent (in line with real needs), timely (actions planned at the right moment), professional (based on international and national standards for water and environmental manage- ment), respectful (based on respect for national sovereignty), equitable (based on the fair distribution to satisfy all the water use demands) and people-cen- tered (rights approach). The accumulated experience of the OAS led to view that it was impera- tive that water resources management should be integral to guarantee the human right to water, social inclusion and sustainable development. It is understood as “transboundary aquifer” or “transboundary aquifer system” the groundwater shared by two or more countries that are part of an ecosystem that includes the soil, the air and eventually the superficial waters (UN Water Convention, 1997): a particular type of transboundary water resources that are now being taken care in an ongoing work of the UN, within their Project of Articles about the Rights of Transboundary Aquifers. The book is made up of four parts, through which lines of reflection and water resources actions, that are the result of concrete experiences, are developed and have accumulated over time: l The first chapter presents the gen- eral outlook of water resources management within the DSD (main organizational, normative and conceptual changes in the OAS work in this field). l In the second chapter four emblematic cases illustrate the sustainable development pos- sibilities, generated through the cooperation of countries that share water resources. l The third chapter presents water reflection lines that are central consequences of water resources management projects. l Finally, the last part of the book provides general conclusions pre- sented as challenges for Integrated Water Resources Management in the future. Fifty years of work cannot be synthe- sized in so few pages. The analysis and the experiences presented give faith of general action lines and reflections on water, environment and development issues. The aim of this book is to allow appreciating that the integrated water resources management approach driven by the DSD, has always sought to boosting strategies for the protec- tion, conservation and sustainable use of water resources, promoting water resources diplomacy, care of the bor- dering shared ecosystems, and the ecosystem goods and services, based on diagnostic and scientific studies that create and strengthen environmen- tal and water resources institutions of the Member States as well as citizen- ship participation. To download the document: www . o a s . o r g / e n / s e d i / d s d / i w r m / L i b r o D e l A g u a E n g l i s h Abril24_2018%20Final%20(3).pdf Maximiliano CAMPOS ORTIZ Organization of American States MCampos@oas.org www.oas.org/dsd 50 Years of Water Diplomacy in the Americas 50 Years of Water Diplomacy in the Americas