The Gambia has once again been ranked 155 out of the 177 countries in the Global Human Development (HDR) report 2006.

Dr Fadzai Gwarad Zimba, the UNDP resident representative in The Gambia disclosed this yesterday at the official launching of the Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2006, entitled “Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and Global Water crisis” at a ceremony held at the UN House in Cape Point.
According to her, the Gambia has held these position since 2004, while Norway ranks first with Niger at the bottom of the ranking.

She said that human development is first and foremost for expanding or enlarging people’s opportunities, capabilities, choices, enabling them to realise their full potential as human beings.

“The First Human Development Report, was first comissioned in 1990. Sixteen years later, the report is an instantly recognisable UNDP flagship product. Today, as in 1990, the report is produced by an independent team of experts who explored major issues of global concern with respect to the fundamental dynamic that drives pro-poor growth and equitable and sustainable development”, she said.

She emphasized that, the report investigates the major causes and consequences of crisis that leaves 1.2 billion people without access to safe water and 2.6 billion without access to proper sanitation.

She revealed that this year’s report states that each year 1.8 million children die from diarrhoea even though it is preventable.

In his launching statement on behalf of The Gambia Goverment, the Secretary of State for Fisheries and Water Resources, Yankuba Touray, said the report is crucial to The Gambia. This is because it deals with issues of water and its relationship with the empowerment of communities in response to attaining national development objectives to alleviate poverty as well as attain the MDGs. “Water pervades all aspect of human development. Clearly when people are denied access to clean water as a productive resources, their choices and freedom are constrained by ill health, poverty and vulnerability”, he said.

SOS Touray emphasized that The Gambia Government considers access to safe water and adequate sanitation as critical for basic survival as the main objectives of the PRSP II is for the water resources sub-sector to meet development targets.

“It is in this regard that a new holistic and broadbased water resource management policy is currently under review. This policy recognises economic incentives, builds a traditional approach and promotes sustainability through consultation and participation of all Gambians”, he said.

SoS Touray further stated that The Gambia is party to various international conventions and treaties notably: the Organisation of the Gambia River Basin Organisation (OMVG), the Millennium Declaration and the MDGS, and the African Ministerial Conference on Water.

He concluded by reiterating that The Gambia Government’s commitment to meet its obligation of providing water to its citizen through strenghtening its technical, institutional, financial base and governance of water resources.

Other speakers at the ceremony were Alieu Ndow, Statistician General, Dr Siga F. Jagne, Co-Ordinator of Pro-PAG, and Ms Amie Jarra, Deputy Director, Department of State for Water Resources. Mrs Jainaba Nyang-Njie, the UNDP Public Affairs Analyst chaired the occassion.