L Hendricks: Opening of Fourth Tiger Workshop

20 November 2006

Chairperson of the Technical Advisory Committee of African Ministerial
Conference on Water (AMCOW), Dr Henry Ntale,
Rector of the University of the Western Cape, Professor Brian O' Connell,
All honoured guests present here today,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and a great pleasure for me to preside over the
official opening of this important workshop. On behalf of the government and
people of South Africa I would like to extend our welcome to all of you,
particularly the international participants present here today. I hope your
stay in Cape Town is both productive and enjoyable.

The requirements for good health, economic development and growth, poverty
eradication and national empowerment are some of the pressing challenges faced
by this continent to which availability of adequate supply of water that is fit
for use is crucial.

The 2006 United Nations (UN) Human Development Report that was released two
weeks ago in Cape Town looks at that very issue and the challenges arising from
lack of access to water. In its opening comments the report states that the
water crisis facing the globe is not as a result of scarcity; it argues that
the crisis is a result of poverty, power and inequality.

The report states that 1,2 billion people across the globe are without
access to safe water, that high infant mortality rates are directly attributed
to lack of access to safe water with up to 1,8 million child deaths being
directly related to unclean water and the impact that water borne diseases have
on perpetuating poverty and holding back economic growth.

The report goes on to argue that it is the wealthy both between countries
and within countries that have access to water and "scarcity is manufactured
through political processes and institutions that disadvantage the poor. When
it comes to clean water, the pattern in many countries is that the poor get
less, pay more and bear the brunt of the human development costs associated
with scarcity." And it goes on to argue that providing water and sanitation is
to give people dignity and offer them the opportunity "to lead a healthy,
dignified and productive life."

This Human Development Report further notes that the levels of technology
today allow us to travel to Jupiter to explore the possibilities of life being
able to exist on that planet, where on our own planet there is still so much
suffering.

However, it is this very technology that can provide some of the solutions
to the water challenges that face us. Without appropriate tools, skills as well
as accurate and reliable information to support and inform decision making
processes, being able to adequately address the water challenges that face us
will remain a pie in the sky. Dysfunctional information systems or systems that
are in a state of disrepair, also limit informed decision making processes. It
is therefore logical for all of us to take advantage of various initiatives
that are aimed at addressing some of these needs.

The Tiger initiative as most of you may recall was first conceptualised at
the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002 and it was primarily
aimed at assisting African countries to improve their deficiencies and
limitation in the collection, analysis and dissemination of water related
geo-information by exploiting the advantages of Earth Observation (EO)
technology. We should also remember that evolution of Tiger was a result of
contributions by various partners such as the European Space Agency, the
Canadian Space Agency, the Committee of Earth Observation Satellite (CEOS),
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), UN
Africa-Water Group, African Ministerial Council on Water (AMCOW), the African
Development Bank (ADB), other African organisations and the South African
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Such a collaborative approach is
indeed commendable.

Workshops have since been held on how best to take the initiative forward in
terms of institutional arrangements, stakeholder consultations and other
preparatory activities. In 2004 a 10-year strategic plan was drawn up setting a
long term framework to engage the African user community and donor agencies in
a process that made this initiative a concrete step forward towards achieving
the aims of the WSSD. This framework required a steering committee be set up to
drive the process.

Concurrent to these workshops a consultation process was also undertaken
with various stakeholders including water authorities and technical centres to
better understand the specific institutional, technical, economic and social
needs of the water sector in Africa. That needs gathering phase was quite
useful in determining the direction and events that followed.

To demonstrate the effectiveness and value of Tiger, water related projects
were awarded to African scientists whereby earth observation satellite data
were provided by space agencies and the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) for use in practical projects that address local issues. I
believe that showing the practical relevance of this geo-information was an
excellent way to pilot Tiger and I have been informed that the results of some
of the projects will be presented during the next two days.

Ongoing capacity building in the use of tools for access, analysis,
dissemination and application of information products in the resolution of
water resource management challenges should not be underestimated. It is stated
in the Tiger strategic plan that one of the aims of the project is to ensure
that technical centres in Africa acquire skills and capabilities to derive and
disseminate space based water information to water authorities and other
stakeholders, the desired goal here is to achieve self-reliance in this field
by building capacity.

We must therefore congratulate the European Space Agency, UNESCO and other
international partners for their response to this need by having an initiative
to address the information gap. It is also gratifying that African countries
have bought into the concept and have undertaken to be fully part of the
process; however, we need to continue mobilising for more intensive involvement
of African countries in this initiative.

Chairperson, it is indeed commendable that more than 50 geo-information
related projects have been awarded to various researchers throughout Africa
involving more than 150 African organisations, and it is important that these
research outcomes address broader national and continental challenges that
Africa faces today. This Workshop will need to ensure that the integration of
research into addressing our challenges does take place.

The collaboration among various role players in both the public and private
sectors to ensure access to information by African countries in support of
sustainable and integrated management of water resources is acknowledged and
appreciated. Endorsement of this initiative by AMCOW at the recommendation of
the Technical Advisory Committee earlier this year means that African Ministers
of Water will champion and support this process by creating enabling
environment within which Tiger can optimally operate. It is important that this
initiative should also support broader objectives of the African Union (AU) and
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Ladies and gentlemen, now is the best time for other international partners
and space agencies to come on board in support of Tiger. Everyone has a role to
play regardless of whether he or she is from government, civil society,
research, corporate sector; to pitch in and assist in the best way they can to
promote and advance this initiative one way or the other. Links to related
initiatives is also important to ensure synergies, better co-ordination and
most importantly optimal utilisation of limited resources.

For instance South Africa's new Space Agency whose establishment was
approved in July 2006 and which is geared to be launched next year in May
should have some links to Tiger since their objectives are similar. Perhaps the
CSIR Satellite Application Centre could play a role in ensuring that the two
initiatives talk to one another since it provides tracking and control services
for satellites and support a wide variety of satellite applications to South
Africa while also being a partner in Tiger.

There could also be links to the following ongoing initiatives:

* The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) which has representation of 47
countries with its main function being the co-ordination of strategies and
systems for earth observations and identification of measures to minimise data
gaps.

* The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), which is an
information management network that establishes a research and education
platform for long term studies of the ecosystem that also enhances our ability
to detect, predict and react to environmental change.

* The South African Earth Observation Strategy (SAEOS) also has excellent
potential for collaboration with Tiger. SAEOS is an interdepartmental
initiative whose objective is to harness the earth observations in South Africa
in support of policy and decision making for sustainable development and making
information available to a broad spectrum of users.

Chair, the argument that drier countries need to manage their water
resources more optimally to ensure sustainable use is relevant particularly in
Southern Africa. And achieving sustainable use of water requires the provision
of reliable and accurate information in terms of both coverage and integrity.
Through Tiger and its collaboration with these initiatives we look forward to
this information being provided in a cost effective manner.

Whilst we implement Tiger and develop world class technical skills in
African countries on the collection, analysis and use of water related
geo-information through earth observation technology, it is important that we
recognise the 'digital divide' and that countries and organisations on our
continent do not even have the basic equipment and resources such as computers,
nor do they have the necessary communication systems to participate in such a
project. We must ensure that they also receive attention.

Chairperson, in conclusion allow me to quote what the UN Secretary-General,
Mr Kofi Annan, said when he officially opened the third United Nations
Conference on Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Space in July 1999 in Vienna,
Austria. He said, "Outer space does not only stir the soul, it also has great
practical implications for the lives of people everywhere." At the same
conference the Algerian Ambassador to the UN, Mokhtar Reguieg said, "Space
technology and techniques are crucial for the socio-economic development of
countries."

Ladies and gentlemen, space information can effectively be used for
management of resources upon which our livelihood depends. I hope the
deliberations and discussions during the next two days are fruitful and take
Africa to the next level by contributing to the socio-economic development of
our continent.

I now declare this workshop officially open.

I thank you!

Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
20 November 2006