Aug. 11, 2008 -- A seminar entitled "Regional Water Operators Partnership Initiatives: Constraints, Challenges and Way Forward" will be organized by Global WOPs Alliance, and co-convened by UN-HABITAT and the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board (UNSGAB) on Water and Sanitation. The seminar will be held on Tuesday 19 August, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon, during Stockholm World Water Week.
The inherent complexity of the water and sanitation sector in developing countries and the wide range of stakeholders involved, from local NGOs and Community Based Organizations to national governments and international Organizations, means that effective partnerships are necessary to guarantee progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance (GWOPs Alliance) was formally launched during the 2007 Stockholm World Water Week by the Chair of UNSGAB, H.R.H. The Prince of Orange, Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands as a crucial step in establishing this worldwide network for fostering collaboration between water supply and sanitation utilities. The Global Water Operators' Partnership Alliance is helping to link and reinforce the various Regional Water Operators' partnership intitiatives that are setting up around the world to strengthen exchange between water and sanitation utility operators.
Objectives of the Seminar
The Seminar will focus on modalities for mobilising effective strategic partnerships to catalyse improved performance of water and sanitation operators in the provision of water and sanitation services. Presentations will be made by representatives of the four regional WOPs mechanisms (Asia, Latin America, the Arab States and Africa) on their activities to build partnerships based on the WOPs principles for the provision of water and sanitation services in their regions. This would be followed by discussions that will focus on:
i) Strengthening partnerships among country water and sanitation operators, the regional and Global WOPs mechanisms;
ii) Capacity gaps and strategies for building the capacity of water and sanitation operators; and iii) Special capacity building needs of small water and sanitation utilities.
Expected Outputs
1. Awareness raised on the Global Water Operators Partnerships Alliance and the challenges faced by water and sanitation operators, including small utilities.
2. Experiences shared on concrete actions to strengthen partnerships among water and sanitation operators
3. A way forward for the Global WOP Alliance to address the identified regional capacity building needs of water operators
For more information, see: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/programme/tuesday/tue07-wateroperatorspartnership.asp
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