FORUM The role of the Organization of American States By Bernhard Griesinger and Marilena Oliveira Griesinger The Organization of American States (OAS), governed by the 34 countries of the Americas, is committed to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the number of people without access to clean water and adequate sanitation by 2015. The OAS also shares the emerging consensus that this challenge will have to be largely met in our cities, where most people live, consume water and generate waste. The OAS's Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment (USDE) has adopted the concept of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a tool to mitigate the contamination and degradation of watersheds, especially those that contribute to the water supply of cities in the Americas. The USDE has focused its efforts on encouraging the adoption of water resources management policies and efficient development of trans-boundary basins by providing technical support to help member countries implement strategic action plans and by promoting the exchange of information and expertise through the Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN). The process of information exchange began in 1993 with the First Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management (Miami, Florida, USA). Since then, three other Dialogues have taken place. The Fourth Dialogue, recently held in Brazil, reflected the efforts of the countries in water resources management, and urged the definition of appropriate levels of decision making (governance), citizen participation in water management, shared decision making, universal access to water as a basic human right, and sustainable access to clean water and adequate sanitation for the Latin American population. The IWRM concept is based on the integration of natural, social, economic and political factors at the watershed level, reinforcing interdependency between upstream and downstream water users. It is also a strategy for action comprising an institutional framework for legal, regulatory, and organisational roles; regulatory and financial management instruments; and the development, maintenance and operation of infrastructure, including water storage structures and conveyance, wastewater treatment and watershed protection. Having in mind this concept, it is recognised that water, especially from rivers, is a central feature of the urban environment. Human settlements have almost always been close to surface or ground water, so it is no coincidence that many of the world's great cities are along river banks. But besides providing water for drinking, agriculture, energy, and transport, rivers also play a dominant role in sculpting landscapes and sustaining ecosystems. The IWRM approach considers the river basin as the unit for action, where both land and water have to be managed together as they form an integrated ecological system. The USDE has already applied successfully the concept of IWRM to several projects throughout Latin America in partnership with intergovernmental organizations, such as the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, and the Inter-American Bank. The USDE executes a variety of technical cooperation projects that address the member states' needs. It also promotes international inter-institutional partnerships with institutions such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNEP, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and UN-HABITAT. During 2001-2002, the USDE managed projects worth approximately US $60 million, 97 per cent of which came from external funding. The main projects under implementation with the participation of OAS are: Integrated watershed management practices for the Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River Basin designed to promote integrated sustainable management and development of the Upper Paraguay River Basin. Integrated management of land-based activities in the São Francisco Basin to promote integrated sustainable management and development of the São Francisco River Basin in Brazil. Strengthening the water management resources sector in Brazil aimed at helping the Brazilian Water Resources Secretariat (SRH) implement the National Water Resources Policy and promote the development of specific water resources projects to strengthen the National Water Resources Management System. The Strategic Action Programme for the Bermejo Binational River Basin (SAP- Bermejo River Basin). This is the first project in international waters funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) to establish a strategic actin plan for environmentally sustainable development in the basin. The Project for the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Integrated Management of the Guaraní Aquifer (SAG). The project is funded by GEF and executed in collaboration with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with the objective of establishing a common institutional and technical framework for managing and preserving the Guarani aquifer system. The Strategic Action Program for the integrated management of water resources and sustainable development of the San Juan River Basin and its Coastal Zone to ensure the availability of the goods and services provided by water resources for conserving natural ecosystems and social and economic development options. Integrating management of watersheds and coastal areas in small-island States in the Caribbean to help the participating countries improve their watershed and coastal zone management. The project is funded by GEF, and implemented by UNEP and UNDP. A regional framework for the sustainable development and management of water resources of the Plata River Basin to stimulate cooperation among the five La Plata Basin countries by identifying common water resources, policy issues and formulating a cooperative framework which addresses trans-boundary water resources issues. Bernhard Griesinger is a senior water resources management specialist at the Unit for Susustainable Development and Environment of the Organisation of American States. Marilena Oliveira Griesinger, a geographer, is Professor at the Federal University of Uberlandia, Brazil, and a consultant on water resources management.