Since the 2000 World Water Forum in The Hague, many governments have pledged to change their water policies. Reform is taking place in some Asian countries but not in others. What facilitates or hinders the reform process in individual countries? Are there common issues that can make sharing regional experiences useful?

These questions are addressed in a report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which presents findings from an overview of water policies in a sample of 17 of the Bank’s developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific. The authors evaluate how well they are progressing in forty action areas set out in ADB’s water policy.

ADB seeks to promote a national focus on water sector reform, integrate management of water resources and improve service delivery and water conservation. It hopes to introduce efficiencies, increase the use of shared water resources within and between countries, improve exchange of information and promote better governance.

The authors welcome progress in setting up sector reviews, developing new policies and establishing co-ordination mechanisms but note that adopting legislation has been delayed in many states. Improving service delivery has made least progress. Government agencies have been slow to transfer responsibilities to other groups that are meant to be involved.

Strong centralised governments in countries like China have made changes only when the leadership is persuaded that it is necessary and has sought external advice on how to deal with internal challenges. In states where power is shared, however, water sector reform – especially when externally promoted – has tended to be secondary to dominant political concerns. Where political will from the top levels of government is lacking, ministers or senior civil servants have blocked change.

The authors show that:

• The water sector has not been an innovative area of the public sector: institutional change has been more apparent in areas such as energy, telecommunications and transport.
• Water sector agencies often compete for influence.
• Political interference in service delivery is common.
• Reforms in rural areas, especially concerning irrigation management, have been difficult to introduce.
• Not enough has been done to overcome community resistance to new water resource management methods.
• Devolution has sometimes hindered change, as ill-equipped and under-resourced local administrations have been unable to cope with their new responsibilities.

As a result of international pressure, key trans-national concerns such as achieving the Millennium Development Goals, river basin management and wetlands conservation have been included on many national agendas. According to ADB’s research, accelerating the pace of reform requires:

• formal analysis of the extent, rate and success of adoption of recognised good practice measures
• recognition that devolution without money and resources is not realistic
• supporting regional networks to transfer knowledge
• ensuring that ADB and other external support agencies are aware of, and work within, national contexts and constraints
• developing indicators within the ADB to measure progress in adopting and implementing its water policy and methods for transferring knowledge, information and technology among staff in developing member countries.

Source(s):
‘Water sector reforms: tracking progress in Asia and the Pacific’, Asian Development Bank, by M. P. Mosley, Wouter Lincklaen Arriëns and Ellen Pascua, June 2004 Full document.

Funded by: Asian Development Bank

id21 Research Highlight: 6 June 2005

Further Information:
M. P. Mosley, Wouter T. Lincklaen Arriëns and Ellen Pascua
Asian Development Bank
P.O. Box 789
0980 Manila
Philippines

Tel: +63 2 632 6754
Fax: +63 2 636 4444
Contact the contributor: wlincklaenarriens@adb.org

Asian Development Bank

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