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afrol News, 25 September - The government of Mauritius has received a water demand management study by regional environmental groups and has signalled its willingness to implement the study's recommendations. Pressure on Mauritian water supplies has increased lately. The Southern Africa regional office of the environmental organisation IUCN, IUCN-ROSA, today reports that it recently had presented its Regional Water Demand Management Project to the government of Mauritius and other stakeholders. In the 'hand over' ceremony of the Mauritius Country Study report, A. Ganoo, Minister of Public Utilities and P.K. Jugnauth, Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources, had "expressed their endorsement of the Country Study report and the implementation of water demand management measures in Mauritius." The ministers had emphasised the importance of this management in Mauritius and highlighted cases where it was already being implemented. - The pressure on current water supplies and the projected water needs of Mauritius, necessitate the adoption of water demand management measures to ensure sufficient quality and quantity of water for present and future development needs, IUCN-ROSA reports. The ministers had "urged all parties present to provide input and suggestions towards the development of an Action Plan for the implementation of water demand management in Mauritius." In the technical session following the official 'hand over' ceremony, other stakeholders had contributed towards the framework of this Action Plan. The contributions were informed by the recommendations made in the Country Study report as well as participants' experiences within their different sectoral and institutional environments. The participants agreed on a focal point for water demand management in Mauritius and suggested the formation of a "Think-Tank", to be chaired by the Water Resources Unit, comprising stakeholders from various institutions. Ruth Beukman, Water Demand Management Project Manager, emphasised that for this management to be sustainable, "the process must be owned and driven by national stakeholders who can ensure that it contributes to national policy." The water demand management process in Mauritius had therefore "ensured wide consultation and participation of stakeholders at all levels." - To build on this, the project intends to analyse the contributing factors that continue to make the water demand management process successful and draw lessons that can inform similar processes in southern Africa, IUCN-ROSA says. The Mauritius Country Study report had been prepared by the IUCN Regional Water Demand Management Project in collaboration with Scene-Ries Consult from May 2001 to May 2002. The project is being funded by Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and aims to promote the adoption of efficient, equitable, integrated and sustainable approaches to water resources management in Southern Africa.
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