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Information note on the United Nations water resources development decade in Africa

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,

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMI C AND

SOCIAL COUNCIL

Distr.

LIMITED

E/CN.14/INR/35 1 October 1963 Original: ENGLISH

ECONOIITC C01~lISSION FOR AFRICA Standing Ccmmittee on Industry, Natural Resources and Transport Seccnd session

Addis Ababa, 3-13 December 1963

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InFORMATION NOTE ON THE UNITED NATIONS HATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

DECADE IN AFRICA (by the secretariat)

63-3501

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E/CN.14/INR/35 Page 1

History

The General Assembly adopted on 19 December 1961 resolution (1710 XVI) in which the current decade HaS designated as the United Nations Development Decade and in uhich the Secretary-General was

• requested to develop proposals for the intensification of aotion in the field of economic and social development by the United Nations system of organizations.

Following the report prepared by the Secretary-General (document E/3613), the United Nations Water Resources Centre on the request of

the Eoonomic Council has draun up proposals for a priority programme of co-ordinated action in the field of uater resources uithin the

framework of the United Nations Development Decade (E/3760, 6 June 1963).

Action proposed

The priority programme contains three main lines of action by which the UN organizations could assist the governments to promote further water resources development in Afrioa and in uhich the regional economic commissions1'rill have an action role.

These three lines of action concern:

a) Country surveys of Water needs and resouroes.

b) International river basins of interest to developing countries.

0) Large soale pre-development investigations of ground- vTater basins ..

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E/CN.14/INR/35 Page 2

(a) Country surveys of water needs and resources

In order to be able to plan the development of a country's water resources, governments have tc confront a thorough evalua-

tion of present and foreseeable 1'rater needs with a preliminary inventory of a country's water resources. A country survey of physical water needs and resources should also take into account

the economic, financial, social, administrative and legislative aspects.

Such a survey which should be executed by a team of specialists in the various fields of 'Tater development could be arranged for by the United Nations on the re~uest of the government. The report pr-epar-ed by such a team would contain an inventory of the existing knowledge of a country's water resources and an assessment of the needs expected in the next ten to fifteen years in the various geographic areas within the country; considerations will be given to What should potentially be done to meet these needs and

suggestions would be made on follow up action and orders of

priority taking into accoUnt technical, financial, administrative and legal aspects. The secretariat of the Economic Commission for Africa, in close co-operation with the Water Resources Development Centre, 11ill be able to assist the governments in the preparation of a request fora survey team, including the outlining of the scope of the mission, the >ray in 11hioh the work of the various specialists will be co-ordinated and the formulation of the precise duties of the experts.

(b) International river basins of interest to developing countries It is Generally recognized that in order to deal effectively with the complex problems involved in the harmoniously integrated development of international rivers, co-operation be~feen the

governments of the riparian countries is required at an early stage •

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E/ClT.l4/INR/35 Page 3

In document E/ClT.l4/INR/38 more detailed observations are made on the developmen"t of the international river basins'in'"

Africa.' 'rherefore, it is believed sufficient here to give only a short outline of the general proposals for UN action in promo-

"ting the development of the international river basins.

The secretariat of the regional economic commission is in a good position to explore with the governments interested in each particular basin the possibility of reaching an agreement among themselves for the request of a survey team which could be finanoed under Technical Assistance or Special Fund programmes.

Suoh a survey team would prepare a comprehensive report for disoussion by an appropriate inter-state committee in which each interested government would be represented by responsible offiCials. This report could contain: an inventory of existing knowledge in the various technical fields connected with the

development of the river basin as well as existing local facilities and government services; a description of the various possible lines of river basin development on the basis of the inventory and of local government programmes; the formulation of concrete suggestions for further action and assistance; and a proposal for the eventual establishment of an inter-state agency for the develop- merit of the basin.

The UN Water Resources Development Centre, with the help of its members, will make sure that the composition of the survey team properly matches the requirements of the governments by drawing on various competences of the UN organizations.

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E/CN.14/tNR/35

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(c) Large scale pre-development i:'westiga ticns of grcundua ter basins In large areas cf the 'rorld gr-cunduate r is the only fresh

"rater resource uhich can be found to meet the needs of a develcping economy. Up to the present, much groundwater development has taken place 1ri thout consideration of the repercussion it may have for the uhole region sharing a groundwater basin. In some of these regions more groundwater is being wi thdra'rn than replenished by natural means and "hen a grounduater basin extends across political borders, serious international friction could be caused. From the very

nature of groundHater basins it is clear that their true potential yield can only be established by an overall recognition. The pre- development investigations enviSaged in the UN Water Resources Development Decade aim at delineating areas in Hhich a commOn aquifer is of paramount interest for tuo or more countries uhich need to develop groundwater to meet their present and foreseeable, water defioiencies. These investigations 1rculd precede the intensive pre-investment exploration of limited areas within the groundwater basin which aim directly at groundwater development. They would constitute a step touards the orderly organization of such pre- investment projects and the sorting out of priorities.

In the proposals for the ~evelopment Decade (Water Resources Development) it is suggested that each regional economic comnission should prepare a map giving the knoun geographical outline of the large groUllQWater basins within the region, together with a short description of the present stage of development of groundwater in these basins. Following the preparation of such a map further studies should be made with a view to: delineating the areas presenting

similar geologioal oharacteristios and extending over ~ro or more national territories whioh are water defioient and where sufficient surfaoe water development is not possible; estimating roughly the

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water needs of those areas, making a preliminary inventory of existing knmrledge on groundHater occurrences in those areas and determining Hhich parts need large scale groundwater investiga- tions; recommending cperations required for such investigations;

and proposing appropriate steps and means.

A next step could be the setting up of SUb-regional bodies through Hhich the various ccuntries concerned "i th a common

groundlfater basin wou'ld co-crdinate their action for the develop- ment of groundwater resources. The United Nations family could support such sub-regional bodies as appropriate and these bodies should of course be able to draw upon assistanoe from outside including that available under Special Fund and Technical Assist- ance programmes.

These pre-development groundHater investigations are intended to be folloHed as soon as possible by actual development of ground- Hater resources in specific areas, if proved feasible. It can be said that they Hill constitute the basic initial step of a lcng range programme in support of future operations. Me anlrhi Ie , current

activities and operations in this field should of course oontinue in response to existing urgent needs.

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