Regional Process
Roadmap towards the 7th World Water Forum
The present Roadmap was approved as a draft version by the International Steering
Committee on its 5th meeting, held in Gyeongju, Korea, on the 24th February 2014. It
was discussed and received minor inputs and corrections from the Regional Process
Commission members during the 2nd Stakeholder Consultation Meeting (27-28 February
2014), leading to the final version presented hereafter.
1. Purpose
This Proposed Roadmap seeks to inform the stakeholders interested in the Regional Process towards
the 7th World Water Forum.
The Regional Process will build on the 6th World Water Forum outcomes and conclusions, and will
ensure a proper balance between priority issues identified at the regional level and the overall
framework and direction for the 7th Forum, with its focus on implementation. It will also provide the
basis for follow-up from the 7th to the 8th Forum.
Four different preparation processes have been set up by the May 2013 Kick-off Meeting in Korea:
Thematic, Regional, Science & Technology, and Political. In addition, active involvement of all
relevant stakeholder groups will assist the preparation of the Citizens Forum. The Regional Process
specifically aims at:
1.1.
Mobilizing and engaging stakeholders throughout different regions of the world to catalyze
th
action at pan-regional, sub-regional, national and local level, and to contribute to the 7 World
Water Forum and its outcomes;
1.2.
Review the outcomes of the 6th World Water Forum;
1.3.
Articulating actions and implementation strategies that are relevant to particular regions with
other Processes, Regions and Sub-Regions interested in the same topics;
1.4.
Generating political commitment for water at all levels;
1.5.
To follow-through and implement specific actions after the 7th World Water Forum.
1.6.
Develop characteristic theme and issues of "Economic Water Scarce Region" which is newly
organized at the 7th Forum to be the channel for cross continental dialogue.
2. Structure of the Regional Process
Regional Process Commission
(led by Korean and WWC Co-chairs):
Overall guidance and supervision
Regional Process Commission
Regions (4)
Design Group
Sub-regional Design
Groups
Regional
Session
Groups
Cross-Regions (3)
Design Group
Regional* Design Group/
Cross-Regional* Group
(led by Regional Coordinator):
In supervision of regions, responsible for
preview sessions (preparatory kick-off
meetings in the regions), as well as midway and final meetings, and to guide and
monitor the process at the regional level
Sub-regional Design Group
(applicable to Asia-Pacific, Africa,
Americas;
led
by
Sub-regional
Coordinator):
Responsible for meetings, activities and
outputs at the sub-regional, in close
coordination with the Regional Design
Group
Regional Session Group:
In charge (management) of detailed
themes( Issues / sessions), building on
activities at the sub-regional level, but
coordinated at regional level.
 See Annex 1
*Note:
The Term “Region/Regional” in this
Roadmap refers to the pan-regional or
cross-regional level
3. Regions and Participants – Who?
3.1.
The Regional Process will connect various stakeholders within and across all continents, while
maintaining the basic frames of regional classification applied in previous Fora;
3.2.
During the SCM, the Regional Design Groups will be confirmed, and Sub-regional Design
Groups and Regional Session Groups discussed. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in
the various Working Groups;
3.3.
All Design and Session Group Coordinators should maintain cooperative relationships with a
wide range of stakeholders in their regions, exhibit proven inclusiveness, transparency and
representativeness, and demonstrate adequate capacity for coordinating. Stakeholder groups
to be involved include public sector (regional, national and local/city level), parliamentarians,
private sector (special importance for S&T process), civil society (NGO and CSO, such as
famers, consumers, etc.) and academia, as well as major social groups (women, youth, ethnic
groups, etc.).
Confirmed Regional/Cross-Regional Design Groups
Region
Organizations
(Regional Coordinators)
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF)
Korea Water Forum (KWF)
Africa
Africa Minister's Council for Water
(AMCOW)
America
CONAGUA/ANEAS (Mexico)
Europe
Danish Water Forum (DWF),
French Water Partnership (FWP)
Arab
(cross-regional)
League of Arab States (LAS)
Economic Water
Scarce
(cross-regional)
Global Water Partnership (GWP)
Mediterranean
(cross-regional)
Mediterranean Institute for Water (IME),
GWP-Mediterranean
Collaborative Organizations
The Regional/Cross-Regional Design
Groups will be led by the Regional
Coordinators listed, but operate as a team
that includes the Sub-regional
Coordinators, the respective regional
development banks and a few key ‘core’
partner institutions/networks, preferably
including one representing civil society
4. Regional themes – What?
4.1.
The Regional Process will define issues bottom-up, creating ownership and ensuring multistakeholder participation, considering the result of Regional Preview Session;
4.2.
Regional Design Groups should preferably draw their themes from those outlined in the
Forum’s Thematic Framework (prioritizing 4-5 themes), while searching for cross-cutting
synergies with the Political and the Science & Technology Processes;
4.3.
The Thematic Process includes a special program – Water Showcase, Action Monitoring
System and SDG Special Session – that will require input from the Regional Process;
4.4.
Synergies should also be sought among different regions, by means of exchanging session
topics and discussion themes, and special sessions may be convened for that purpose;
4.5.
Regions are encouraged to propose innovative outputs and activities;
4.6.
Each Region will have 5-6 sessions, combining (where applicable) inputs from all sub-regions
in the region:
4.6.1.
1 Regional/Cross-Regional Session (probably High Level Panel format)
outcome (by Regional Design Group)
presenting overall
4.6.2.
4-5 Regional Thematic Sessions focused on priority themes for the region (by Regional
Session Groups)
(See Annex 1 for Regional-Thematic linkage; linkages with S&T Process and Political Process still to
be defined)
5. Procedures-How?
5.1.
Financial support
5.1.1.
Each Design Group should find the majority of funding for its process activities within its
region/sub-region;
5.1.2.
The Forum will seek to contribute to the above mentioned budget through a limited “core
budget”, according to its capacity and to the set of activities proposed for each region;
5.1.3.
The primary responsibility for budget management rests with the Regional Coordinator. The
Regional Process Commission will supervise the reporting of “core budget” execution.
5.2.
5.2.1.
Regional dialogues by…
Promoting Preview Sessions in their regions to check the results of the 6th Forum and set a
direction and agenda for the 7th Forum, reflecting changes in regional water problems,
proposed solutions, and paths for implementing them in the region, including identification of
implementation platforms/partnerships to be presented at the Forum and monitored through to
the 8th Forum;
5.2.2.
Defining regional/sub-regional issues by initiating opinion exchanges among stakeholders for
identifying and implementing water solutions within the regional unit;
5.2.3.
Arranging Design and Session Group dialogue meetings back-to-back with existing meetings
hosted by partner organizations at pan-regional and sub-regional levels;
5.2.4.
Arranging a final regional meeting to discuss the Final Regional Report and other outputs and
initiatives generated from the Regional Process.
5.3.
Cross-cutting approach
5.3.1.
Cross-cutting with the Thematic Process and with the Science & Technology Process,
supplying regional case studies to related working groups and participating in Special
Programs;
5.3.2.
Cross-cutting with the Political Process through participation in the Parliamentarian and Local
Authorities processes (including Istanbul Water Consensus) and representation in the
ministerial PrepComs;
5.3.3.
Stimulate the regional participation in the Citizens Forum, the IT platforms, and the Expo.
5.4.
Forum sessions and outputs
5.4.1.
5-6 sessions per Region (pan-region/cross-region) to be organized by each Regional Design
Group (see above);
5.4.2.
Regional inputs to the Political Process, the Science & Technology Process, and the Citizens
Forum;
5.4.3.
Major outputs expected to be prepared and presented at the Forum sessions include:
5.4.3.1. Launching of implementation platforms/partnerships
5.4.3.2. White Papers for special sessions
5.4.3.3. Video / multimedia testimonies Use of IT facilities and structures for dissemination
5.4.3.4. Other reports, products or initiatives
5.5.
5.5.1.
Continuity of the Forum
An evaluation and monitoring system is being established in order to bring better outcomes
after each Forum. Thus, the results of the 6th Forum are to be integrated into the 7th Forum,
and the results of 7th Forum will be integrated into the 8th Forum.
6. Proposed Roadmap
Item
Date
Regional Classification and Organization
- Discuss the major directions for the Regional Process – All
- Report selected Regional Design Groups to ISC – RPC
Jan - Feb 14
Feb 14
- Elaborate and deliver regional proposals (incl. Sub-regional and Regional
Session Groups) – RDG
Feb - Jul 14
- Approve regional proposals – RPC/ISC
Feb - Jul 14
- Confirm and support the Preview Sessions in each region – RDG
Mar - Jul 14
Managing the Session Outputs
- Conduct interim check on current progress of sessions – RDG/RPC
- Submit the interim regional reports (Outline for sessions and Implementation
steps) – RDG/RPC
- Validate final interim regional reports – RPC/ISC
Delivery of the Final Regional Process Report – RPC/ISC
Feb - Sep 14
Feb 15
Feb 15 – Mar 15
Jun 15
Linkage with Other Processes
- Contribute to the political processes – RDG
Mar 14 - Apr 15
- Share the current status of each process and cooperate to build the
“Action Monitoring System” – RDG
Aug 14 - Apr 15
ANNEX 1
Proposed linkage between Regional and Thematic Processes
Thematic Process - overview
Themes and issues (Thematic Design Groups):
 3 Action Goals
=> 11 themes
 Action Tool
=> 5 themes
 16 themes, each with 3-5 issues which may evolve into sessions
Sessions (Session Groups):
 50-80 issue sessions
 11 linking sessions (one per theme under Action Goals, linking each to the 5 Action Tools)
 16 concluding sessions (one per theme)
Special Program (Special Design Groups):
 Water showcase
 Action Monitoring System
 SDG Special Session + other potential special sessions or panels (maybe 10-12)
Note - All thematic sessions in Daegu
Regional Process – overview
4 Regions (Regional Design Groups, and respective Sub-regional Design Groups):
 Africa
 Sub-regions: North, East, South, West
 Americas
 Sub-regions: North, Mexico, Central and Caribbean, South,
 Asia-Pacific
 Sub-regions: Northeast, Southeast, South, Central, Pacific
 Europe
 No sub-regions
3 Cross-Regions (Cross-regional Design Groups)
 Arab
 Economic Water Scarce
 Mediterranean
Note - All regional sessions in Gyeongju
Proposed Thematic-Regional Linkage
Regional Sessions in Gyeongju:

5-6 Sessions per Region/Cross-Region – combining inputs from all sub-regions:
 1 Regional/Cross-Regional Session (probably High Level Panel format) - presenting
overall outcome (by Regional Design Group)
 4-5 Regional Thematic Sessions - focus on priority themes of region (by Regional Session
Groups), and try to combine thematic options from regions as much as possible
(priority themes identified at Regional Preview Sessions => preferably same focus for all
sub-regions)
Joint Regional-Thematic Session Design in Daegu:




Regional input to and participation in 11 linking sessions (Action Goals → Action Tools)
Regional input to and participation in 16 concluding thematic sessions
Regions are encouraged to submit case studies to the Water Showcase, which Thematic
Design Groups can then elect to integrate into their thematic sessions
Other: Regional space in the Expo/Fair area (TBC)
Organization:

The Coordinators of the Regional Session Groups act as Regional Focal Points for their
respective Thematic Design Groups:
 It will be critical to securing regional-thematic coordination and exchange that Regional
Focal Points participate (by mail/telecom) in the work of Thematic Design Groups in the
preparatory process; therefore both Thematic Design Groups and Regional Design
Groups will have to be briefed to establish these linkages and what is needed from them,
with appropriate directives included in the respective Terms of References
 Close daily cooperation at the Forum in/between Daegu/Gyeongju will be necessary
ANNEX 2
Introduction to the Economic Water Scarce Region (EWS)
Source - Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (2007, map 2.1, p. 63,
ⓒ IWMI, http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/) and 4th WWDR
Concept


Whereas water stress is a function of the availability of water resources, the concept of
water scarcity is also a function of access.
Economic Scarcity - when access is not limited by resource availability, but by human,
institutional and financial constraints over distribution of the resource to different user
groups.
1. Economic Scarcity: low water stress does not automatically imply ready access to
water
2. Physical Scarcity: poor access to water from high water stress
Background


The need for a new classification based on common water issues and local uniqueness
appeared as a regional process result of the Kick-off meeting of the 7th World Water Forum.
1. Economic scarcity deviated from the existing regional classification;
2. Whereas it applied a new regional classification method based on ‘Economic Scarcity’
under common water issues.
Many regions are experiencing various levels of water stress from increasing water
demand, requiring improved water management and planning to ensure adequate water
supply from finite water resources.

‘Economic Scarcity’ is a major part of this paradox on water stresses and water shortages.
It will be the basic concept of water management planning to secure a water supply for
future economic growth and development.
Role of Design Group for EWS
 To build a platform for developing and discussing its own theme and issues for EWS
 To build a way for better communication between stakeholders from different continents
(Preview Sessions not included on its mission)