Interview with Guy Fradin, President of the “forests, water and territories” section, CGAEER, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, alternate Governor of the World Water Council
Update 2015-04-02
“Since the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico, France has set up the French Water Partnership, bringing together public and private water stakeholders in a single association to share and promote discussions, actions and proposals for water.
“Partnership” – it is indeed a good thing to set one up and to make it work. But doesn’t this word convey a concept that is a bit of an over-simplification when speaking of the “heritage of humanity”, the “common wealth of the nation?”
France is proud of its national motto, “Liberté, égalité, Fraternité” (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity), but we talk more about the first two terms while “Fraternity (or Brotherhood)” is often lacking in meaning. I call on you to create a “brotherhood of water” that I feel would put a little meat on the bones of the concepts we stand for, notably the right to water, which cannot be allowed to shrivel away in a legal drought.
The last Forum in Marseille was an opportunity for France to defend a pragmatic approach based on solutions and commitments, but also a human approach with the “roots and citizenship” process. Whatever you think of big international gatherings, the World Water Forum remains a unique opportunity for meetings and discussions between men and women who are passionate about access to and the conservation of water resources.
We therefore wish our Korean friends all the best for a successful Forum that takes us in this direction. Our fraternal national partnership for water will, of course, work toward this goal.”
10/05/2013