High-level Meetings

High-level Meetings

SWA’s High-level Meetings (HLMs) are unique in the sector and the partnership’s most visible activity. They are platforms where ministers from different countries come together and discuss the achievement of the water, sanitation and hygiene related targets of the SDGs. These meetings are truly multi-stakeholder – as well as actively engaging in the ministerial round-tables and panels at the meetings, all of SWA’s constituencies participate in defining and preparing the meeting’s agendas.

Finance Ministers' Meeting (FMM)

The FMM gathers ministers of finance from around the world, to discuss the political and institutional reforms required to make better use of existing financing and to attract additional resources for the WASH sector to achieve the SDGs.

View upcoming meeting

Sector Ministers' Meeting (SMM)

The SMM is an opportunity for ministers responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene to share and learn from others’ experiences as they progress towards national SDG targets. The SMM is also the moment when SWA partners present and report on commitments they make as part of the SWA Mutual Accountability Mechanism

View previous meeting

Upcoming events & Meetings

Date	Meeting	Type
TBC	2025 Sector Ministers' Meeting This October, Sanitation and Water For All’s high-level Sector Ministers’ Meeting, hosted by the government of Spain, will take place in Madrid. Here, ministers will work together and solve for some...	smm	View Meeting

Past events & Meetings

Date	Meeting	Type
15 Mar	2016 High-level Meeting The SWA Meeting of Ministers of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (SMM) was a unique opportunity for countries to plan and prepare for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals related to...	smm	View Meeting
11 Apr	2014 High-Level Meetings Convened by UNICEF, the 3rd HLM took place at the World Bank in April 2014. The 2014 SWA High Level Meeting (HLM) took place in Washington DC on 11 April 2014, hosted by the World Bank and convened by...	hlm	View Meeting
01 Apr	2012 High-Level Meetings Chaired by His Excellency H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, and convened by UNICEF, the HLM took place at the World Bank in April 2012. The 2012 SWA HLM was a watershed moment for SWA. An unprecedented...	hlm	View Meeting
01 Apr	2010 High-Level Meetings Co-chaired by HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Chair, UNSGAB and Mr Saad Houry, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF, the HLM was convened by UNICEF and held at the World Bank in...	hlm	View Meeting

In The Spotlight

View all News & Stories

Participants of the UN Climate Change Conference 2024 raise their hands

It’s Time to Push for Water and Sanitation in Climate Policy

Extended deadlines for national climate plans present a crucial opportunity for the water and sanitation sector to influence climate policy. SWA looks at key takeaways from the webinar : Countdown to COP30: Prioritizing Water and Sanitation in...

An excavator machine is falling into rushing water through the center of a village in Nepal due to flooding from climate change. © UNICEF/UNI655366/Upadhayay

As Water Disasters Increase, How do We Impact Climate Policy?

In 2024, water disasters claimed at least 8,700 lives, displaced 40 million people, and caused over $550 billion in economic losses, according to The Guardian. These included catastrophic rainfall in Spain, and record-breaking droughts in Brazil...

President Akufo-Addo of Ghana Signs Presidential Compact on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

President Akufo-Addo of Ghana Signs Compact on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

The President of the Republic of Ghana, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, today signed a historic Presidential Compact on Water Sanitation and Hygiene, as part of the government’s commitment to improving public health, increasing climate resilience...

Participants at the Dushanbe Water Conference

Boosting Political Will and Accountability: Six Lessons from the Dushanbe Water Conference

Last week, SWA’s Head of Policy Lucinda O’Hanlon attended the Dushanbe Water Conference in Tajikistan, emphasizing the need for increased political prioritization on water and sanitation, as well as more accountability. Today, she’s reflecting back...

Banka Bio

Inspirational SWA partner Banka Bio achieves its commitment to deliver over 250,000 sanitation facilities across India

“This was an incredible achievement. We are proud to have worked with Government, other businesses, philanthropies, and others, to surpass expectations and deliver sanitation facilities to thousands of students, patients and passengers. It was a team...

Laura Chinchilla Speaks at Bandung Spirit Water Summit

Bringing the Bandung Spirit of Leadership to Water and Sanitation

How does high-level political commitment drive change? And will it propel us faster towards achieving universal access to sanitation and water: a world where everyone is guaranteed full enjoyment of their rights to water and sanitation? That was the...

Dr Han Seung Soo chairs the Bandung Spirit Water Summit

World Water Forum Highlights Global Commitment to Water and Sanitation

The 10th World Water Forum, held in Bali, Indonesia, brought together international leaders and experts to elevate water's significance on the political agenda and generate commitments for improved water management. From May 18-25, Global Leadership...

President Kiir signs Compact on Water and Sanitation

President Kiir signs South Sudan’s Compact on Water and Sanitation

The President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, signed the country’s Heads of State Initiative Compact on Water and Sanitation today - a major milestone to ensure the rights of all citizens to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The signing...

SWA CEO Catarina de Albuquerque gives opening remarks at the Latin America and Caribbean Finance Ministers' Meeting

Latin American, Caribbean ministers call for increased investment to combat water crisis

Finance and sector ministers from Latin America and the Caribbean expressed in Washington, D.C. the need to increase funding for water, sanitation, and hygiene to combat the crisis that the region is suffering due to climate change and extreme...

H.E. Mr. Luis Madera, Vice Minister of Planning and Public Investment, Dominican Republic; Hon. Ryan R. Straughn, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Barbados; and Mr. Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer, AFD

Finance Ministers from Latin America and the Caribbean Target $372 Billion Investment in Water and Sanitation

Finance ministers from across Latin America and the Caribbean convened today in Washington, D.C., to mobilize $372 billion over the next five years to combat the region's water and sanitation crisis. The meeting, which gathered close to 100 ministers...

© UNICEFUNI535050Willocq

Civil Society Leaders in Latin America Issue Call to Action on Finance for Water and Sanitation

In both global and regional contexts, water and sanitation consistently emerge as critical issues, particularly due to the effects of climate change. These challenges are compounded by ongoing and escalating public health risks, including COVID-19...

© UNICEFUN0821842

Tackling the Cost of Climate Change through Investment in Water and Sanitation

To achieve water and sanitation for all by the year 2030, Latin America and the Caribbean will need to mobilize an additional $372 billion over the next five years. That may seem like a hefty sum, but it requires an annual investment of less than 1.3...

© UNICEF/UN0694032/Bizuwerk

Amref Health Africa Achieves SWA Partnership Commitment through first-ever Pan-African Common Position on Climate and Health

Amref Health Africa, the leading health NGO in Africa, has successfully achieved its Mutual Accountability Mechanism (MAM) commitment within the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in the...

Venezuela © UNICEF 2020

Financing Climate Resilient Water and Sanitation: Accelerating Systemic Progress in Latin America and the Caribbean

Progress needs to increase six-fold for safely managed drinking water , five-fold for safely managed sanitation, and three-fold for basic hygiene for the world to achieve universal access by 2030. This means the water, sanitation and hygiene sector...

NEWSAN

NEWSAN Leads Charge for Climate-Smart Water and Sanitation in Nigeria

The Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), in collaboration with the UNICEF-hosted Sanitation and Water for All global partnership (SWA), is urging Nigerian political leaders to incorporate climate considerations into the country’s water and...