Global partnerships are essential to achieve significant improvements in the global supply of water and sanitation services. Over 150 representatives from the public and private sector will gather to Geneva (Palais des Nations - salle XVIII) on 21-22 October to discuss how Public-Private Partnerships can help address this issue at an international conference organized by UNECE, together with the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Islamic Development Bank. The conference will be opened by UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach, who will also chair a high level panel on the prospective role of PPPs in achieving the proposed Sustainable Development Goal on water.
Governments play a key role in providing access to water and sanitation to their citizens, including the economically disadvantaged. However, universal access to water and sanitation can only be achieved through cooperation in water management, provision and use at local, national, regional and global levels and through partnerships with a number of stakeholders including the private sector, civil society and international organizations.
A number of PPP case studies in water and sanitation from around the world will be discussed at the conference. These cases will showcase international PPP best practices and provide guidance to policy makers.
The conference is expected to launch the International Centre on PPPs in water and sanitation under the auspices of the UNECE International PPP Centre of Excellence, and with the participation of member States, international financial institutions and the private sector. The focus of the Centre will be on the identification of best practices and the development of international PPP standards in the water and sanitation sector, where a number of Project Teams would develop various international PPP standards. The Centre will also act as an international platform for information sharing and dialogue.
For more information please visit: http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=36057 or contact: [email protected].