The following is a summary of the ministerial declaration adopted Sunday at the World Water Forum in Kyoto.
* Access to clean water is essential for sustainable development and the eradication of poverty and hunger.
* The forum notes a report calling for doubling the spending on water infrastructure in developing countries.
* The report calls for private-sector participation and public-private partnerships to tackle water issues.
* The report vows to devise integrated water-resources management plans by 2005, and to assist developing countries.
* Far more investment in water supply and sanitation is needed to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015.
* Collective efforts should be redoubled to mobilize financial and technical resources, both public and private, to achieve the goals.
* Effective and equitable management of water is required to eradicate poverty in rural areas.
* Farm-use water management should be improved via innovative investment, research and development, and cooperation.
* Better legislative frameworks are necessary to protect water resources and prevent water pollution.
* Land-use regulations, disaster-warning systems and national risk-management systems are needed to limit the impact of floods and droughts.
* Data and knowledge should be shared between states to minimize disaster damage.