1.
GV EXTERIOR: Congress Palace in Abidjan.
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2.
GV INTERIOR AND CU: Minister of Public Works, Transport and Construction, Mr Desire Boni addresses delegates in French (2 shots)
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3.
SV: Mr. Boni continues, with president of the International Association for the distribution of water Dr Ishibashi (wearing glasses on Ministers left)
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4.
SV AND CU: Delegates seated listening as minister Boni declares conference open. (4 shots)
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5.
SV: Delegates applaud
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6.
SV: Flags of participant nations.
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7.
SV: Mr Boni assisted Dr Ishibashi cuts ribbon opening exhibition
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8.
LV PAN: Minister and other guests looking at exhibits
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9.
SV AND CU: Exhibits and posters from Denmark, France Switzerland, and Holland. (5 shots)
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10.
CU: Model of water pumping station
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11.
CU PAN: From water pumping plant in plastic bowl TO model of pumping station and guests walking around. (3 shots)
1.49




Initials RH/





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Delegates from eleven African nations, meeting in the Ivory Coast capital of Abidjan, have signed an agreement to co-operate on water supply development over the next ten years. The Congress was the first to be held by the African union of Water Distribution, formed a year ago.

SYNOPSIS: The congress was officially opened by the Ivory Coast Minister for Public Works, Transport and Construction, Mr Desire Boni. The African Delegates came from Gabon, Nigeria, Upper Volta, Liberia, Malawi, Morocco, Senegal and Sierra Leone. In addition the Minister's audience included representatives of water supply equipment manufacturers from Europe, North American and Asia. During the year the Union had sough assistance from the International Association for the Distribution of Water and it's president doctor Ishibishi, was also at the congress. The agreement reached by the delegates covered water crossing international boundaries, the regulation of tariffs and co-operation in drinking water supply and purification projects, concentrating on rural areas.

All aspects of the agreements implementation will be overseen by the United nations and those taking part have decided to meet again in 1990 to review its progress.

After the Congress opening Mr Boni and Dr Ishibashi performed a ribbon cutting ceremony which allowed delegates to view an exhibition of water control equipment produced by manufacturers around the world. The 1990 conference will also be attended by the World Health Organisation, The World Bank and he African Development Bank - the Central Fund for Economic Co-operation. The organisation of the Union has largely resulted from efforts by the government of the Ivory Coast, which also embarked on its own seven year water development programme in 1975. By the end of 1982 Ivory Coast hopes to have equipped every village of more than one hundred people with drinking water facilities, projects requiring the construction of more than ten thousand wells.