KYOTO -- The 3rd World Water Forum closed Sunday with a declaration promising to make water issues a top priority among governments but failing to narrow the gap on the issue of privatizing water supplies and sanitation services.
During the eight-day forum, delegates from nearly 180 countries discussed a wide range of water-related problems.
The World Water Council, which sponsored the forum, said that 24,000 people, including 6,000 from abroad, attended the forum. Venues in Kyoto, Osaka and Shiga prefectures hosted the event.