Dear Friends of the Utility Platform,
this year, the topics water and sanitation are high on the political agenda. In March, a UN conference on water was held for the first time in 50 years. Governments, organizations, businesses, and civil society came together in New York in order to find ways to overcome the global water crisis. The numbers are disconcerting – there are still 2 billion people who lack access to safe water, and 3.6 billion people without decent access to sanitation. Sanitation and water for all by 2030, as claimed by SDG 6, currently seems unreachable.
In order to implement the UN Water Decade 2018-2028 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a global action agenda for water, the "Water Action Agenda", has emerged from the conference. Member states and other parties representing various branches and sectors have so far submitted more than 700 voluntary commitments. Together with the Netherlands, Germany has launched the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative. Its aim is to mobilise public and private investments for cities and water operators in the Global South.
After all, it is the local water utilities that provide people with drinking water and sanitation. In this third issue of our newsletter, you can also find out what contribution our water operator partnerships (WOPs) make to strengthening the water suppliers. The issue provides insights into the current work of the WOPs of the utility platform as well as of the entire network.
And we have good news: Our utility platform is growing and the solidarity operator partnerships between German and Ukrainian water companies now comprise seven partnerships. The latest newcomer is the solidarity operator partnership between the Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband and Schytomyr. Many thanks to all involved!
We are also looking forward to two important events happening in Germany in May. On a global level, GWOPA’s 5th Global WOPs Congress will take place in Bonn, from 22 to 25 May 2023. At the national level, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is hosting the event 'Water Operators' Partnerships - Sustainable Water Security Beyond Aid' on 24 and 25 May in Berlin. Right after the BMZ event, we invite you to our 6th network meeting of the utility platform in the same location.
We hope this series of events makes more decision-makers aware of the opportunities WOPs can offer and the stumbling blocks we still need to overcome to pave the way forscaling up the partnership approach including a sustainable financing model.
Enjoy the read and recommend the newsletter to your colleagues!
Your team of the Utility Platform
Heiko Heidemann (GIZ) and Linda Engel (SKEW)
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