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Ministers, Mayors, Development Partners, Ladies and Gentlemen: Good morning, and welcome to the Asian Development Bank.
I am delighted to see so many of you here today at this first dialogue that ADB has organized to encourage a frank debate on the issues and options for Sanitation. There is urgency to this moment – Asia still has 1.8 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation, and the challenges to public health and the environment are extreme.
I will not say much because I know that you have a busy agenda and need to work quickly on your strategies and roadmaps, as well as related financing and capacity development issues. But I do want to emphasize a few points with you.
First, Sanitation is central to the larger development agenda. We have to think differently if we are to accelerate the provision of basic household sanitation, and if we are to secure sustainable environments for our residential, commercial, and industrial areas. Key to a change in strategy is the consideration of Sanitation as a business. Sanitation, like water supply, cannot be sustained on Government budgets alone. The economic returns of good sanitation have been demonstrated universally. We must find clever ways of translating them into effective and sustainable solutions for Asia.
Second, I would like us to note some encouraging national initiatives to address Sanitation issues.
These are important initiatives that need to be upscaled and sustained. The key to attracting investments is greater political will—the will to enforce both wastewater standards on businesses and industries, and to set appropriate tariffs. Ultimately, this begins with clear policies, fair and transparent performance standards and regulations, and the empowerment of providers to perform their mandated function.
Third, I would like us to note ADB has committed 20 percent of its Water Financing Partnership Facility to Sanitation. This will help support the attainment of our objective to provide 200 million people with sustainable access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation. The Facility allows partners to contribute funds specifically for sanitation investments. The governments of Australia, Austria, Netherlands, Norway and Spain, our current financing partners, have expressed keen interest to see sanitation coverage being accelerated.
We are seeing these internal drivers producing their intended effect. Our annual average lending pipeline for sanitation has increased from $300 million from the period 2003-2007 to $710 million for 2008-2010. As a proportion of our overall funding commitments, water and sanitation projects are expected to increase from an average of 8.5% in 2003-07 to about 17% in 2008-10.
Finally, I am sure that you recognize, just as we do, that the issues in Sanitation go beyond the ability of ADB and other institutions to address. Partnerships are vital. A range of actors - governments, the private sector, civil society, development institutions, and the media - have to join hands to advance the Sanitation agenda. This is not happening in sufficient measure. We need to break the impasse. I am confident that this Dialogue is that necessary and further step in building the needed partnerships to address Asia’s sanitation challenges.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me close with a comment once made by Ronnie Kasrils, a former Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry in South Africa – he said "If Water is Life, Sanitation is Dignity". The dignity, and also the health, of millions of Asians will depend on the energy and creativity that we bring to the solution of their most pressing Sanitation problems. I am sure that your discussions at this Dialogue will provide the needed stimulus.
I wish you a productive time together this week.
Thank you.