1. The Ministerial Conference of the seventh World Water Forum took place in Gyeongju on April 13 with minister-level officials from 100-odd countries in attendance. Of some 400 events being held during the forum, the Ministerial Conference is the highest-level meeting attended by government delegates on behalf of their countries. At the meeting, “the Ministerial Declaration of the Seventh World Water Forum” was adopted to convey the international community’s willingness to resolve its water issues.

◦ The ROK government played a leading role in discussions on water issues, as demonstrated by Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoo Il-ho and Minister of Environment Yoon Seong-kyu presiding over the roundtable session on “Adaptation to Climate Change and Management of Water-related Disaster Risks” and another on “Sustainable Water Management and Conservation of Ecosystem,” respectively, out of the eight sessions designed for in-depth discussions on ways to resolve water issues.

2. The Ministerial Declaration adopted as the main outcome document of the seventh World Water Forum was finalized after a year of the ROK government-led negotiations among government delegations, water-related international organizations and civic groups. In the lead-up to the agreement on the text, the ROK government contributed to the convergence of diverse water-related stakes held by the international community, including differences in interests between developed and developing countries, between countries lying in the upper and lower regions of rivers, and between countries on different continents, and played a pivotal role in drawing up a unified message of the international community.

◦ The Declaration calls for the international community to address water-related challenges as one of its important pending issues for 2015.

- The Ministers reaffirmed their support for the inclusion of water and sanitation as individual goals in the post-2015 development agenda for sustainable development.

- The Ministers urged that efforts be made at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris in December 2015 to conclude a new ambitious climate agreement that calls for countering climate change mainly through the resolution of water issues.

- The Ministers agreed to enhance the prevention and management of water-related disasters as well as transboundary cooperation on water resources.

◦ In addition, the ROK government, by highlighting water issues as an agenda item concerning global environment and climate change, enhanced its international standing as an agenda setter.

- The ROK government established the new “Science and Technology Process” and presented the idea of “smart water management” -- facilitated through a combination of information and communications technology and water management policy-- as a solution to water issues that is different from those laid out at the former forums, winning all-out support from the forum’s participants.

- The ROK government formulated and presented “an action roadmap” and “a monitoring system” as key deliverables of the forum for the international community to use them as guidelines for addressing water issues.

◦ The ROK government also played a leading role in reaching an agreement to support efforts of developing countries with water shortages and vulnerable to water-related disasters, to resolve their water issues, and thereby enhancing its leadership in water diplomacy as a responsible middle power country.

- The Ministers agreed to render strong support to developing countries, including by diffusing water resource management technology and developing business models for them.

- The Ministers underscored the importance of cooperation with climate related institutions such as the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), -- both hosted by the ROK -- while highlighting the significant role of these organizations.

3. The World Water Forum is serving as an occasion for robust summit diplomacy, as can be seen from the President of Turkmenistan making a state visit to the ROK, with seven other top-level officials also on a visit to the country. Furthermore, water-related minister- or vice minister-level officials from 100-odd countries are taking part in the forum, turning the event into a significant arena for global water diplomacy.

◦ The ROK government, building upon its relevant capabilities strengthened through the event, will reinforce its international leadership in the area of water and use those capabilities to boost the country’s economy, such as by supporting bids of relevant Korean companies to expand their presence in the global water market -- the “blue gold” of the 21st century. 


                Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
                Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport 
                Ministry of Environment

* unofficial translation