Office of the Historian

319. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (Pickering) and the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake) to the Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science, and Technology (Benson)1

Washington, October 26, 1978

SUBJECT

  • U.N. Water Decade: U.S. Approach and Strategy

As a result of efforts which you helped to stimulate, and AID’s own examination of water issues, Governor Gilligan has now approved a 10-year program to support the 1981–90 U.N. Decade for Water Supply and Sanitation, and a consensus has been developed between AID, OES and S/P on our basic approach. If agreed to by OMB and the President, this program will represent a significant move towards implementation of the Administration’s basic human needs policies as well as the President’s commitment to give priority to water and sanitation in his message to the World Health Assembly.2 It will also provide a major impetus towards achieving the U.N. Water Conference goals of reaching 1.2 billion people by the end of the U.N. Water Decade. The 10-year program would concentrate on the rural poor and would be of great benefit in improving the health of these people, particularly by attacking diarrheal diseases among children. The development benefits—through increased productivity—will also be significant.

In essence the strategy and program aims at an expenditure of $2.5 billion during the Decade period, with funding subject to the LDCs’ own efforts, support of other donors, adequate projects and future AID budget levels. This sum could be increased later if experience shows we can do more. (See Summary of Program at Tab A.)3 This level of effort represents a significant increase in our support for this key area of development. Our efforts would of course be integrated with other health and rural community projects.

The next steps in obtaining the Administration’s endorsement of this strategy involve submitting the proposed 10-year program to OMB [Page 1073] and obtaining Presidential concurrence. Therefore, we request your endorsement of the attached strategy and your approval for us to work with AID to obtain endorsement by OMB and final concurrence by the President. We have worked closely with Alex Shakow who concurs with this approach.4

Recommendation:

That you indicate your approval of the attached 10-year International Water Decade strategy and program and your concurrence for us to work with AID in obtaining the additional Administration support required.5

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director, Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981, Lot 82D298, Box 4, TL 10/16–10/31/1978. Unclassified. Drafted by Blaney on October 25; cleared by Donald King, Katcher, and Shakow.↩
  2. See Document 313.↩
  3. Attached but not printed is the undated summary of program, entitled “U.S. Rural Community Water and Sanitation Initiative (CWS).”↩
  4. Attached but not printed as Tab B is a September 1 action memorandum from Shakow to Gilligan.↩
  5. There is no indication as to whether Benson approved or disapproved the recommendation.↩