Group of Senior Officials on Urban Water Sector Reform in the NIS
Kiev, Ukraine, 10-12 September 2001
Water supply and sanitation services are in critical conditions in many New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS). Reforms are urgently needed in order to prevent further deterioration and collapse of this sector, which may imperil public health and ecosystems, and result in economic losses. In October 2000, NIS Ministers of Economy or Finance met with their colleagues from the Ministries of Environment in Almaty (Kazakhstan) to find solutions to this urgent problem. As a result they adopted " Guiding Principles for Reform of the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector in the NIS"
Successful reform of the urban water sector will largely depend on the commitment of NIS governments, and will require international assistance. Following the Almaty Consultations, the EAP Task Force agreed to establish a Group of Senior Officials on Urban Water Sector Reform in the NIS to ensure political support to the implementation of the "Guiding Principles" and to identify practical approaches for the implementation of the key elements of reform.
The first meeting of the Group of Senior Officials on Urban Water Sector Reform in the NIS will take place in Kiev on 10-12 September 2001. This meeting will provide a forum for experience exchange and policy dialogue between NIS decision-makers responsible for urban water supply and sanitation, donors, IFIs, relevant international organisations, private sector and NGOs.
At the first meeting NIS water decision-makers and their colleagues from other counties and international organisations will determine priority topics for joint activities in the following areas:
legal and institutional reforms in the sector, including the regulatory framework for private sector participation and performance contracts between the water utilities and local governments; economic and financial issues, primarily tariff reform; social aspects and consumer protection in water sector reforms, in particular such issues as public participation in decision-making, effective subsidy schemes for population and consumer relations by water utilities. monitoring and evaluation of progress in water sector reforms and utility performance indicators.
The discussions of the water officials will be supported by presentations on these issues by leading experts, including reports and case studies from Central and Eastern Europe, the New Independent States and OECD countries.
For further information concerning the meeting, please refer to Ms. Olga Savran, EAP Task Force (OECD), tel. 33 1 45 24 13 81, fax 33 1 45 24 96 71, e-mail: olga.savran@oecd.org. You are also welcome to visit our web site http://www.oecd.org/env/eap/, where you can find Almaty meeting proceedings as well as other relevant information on the NIS.
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