The course is Coordinated by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and with contributions from leading organisations.
Rationale:
Freshwater scarcity, stress and crisis is increasing in most regions. Approximately 80% of the world’s population is already exposed to high levels of threat to water security, and approximately 1.2 billion people live in river basins where human water use has surpassed sustainable limits.
Integrity, accountability and anti-corruption are critical in governing the resources and in providing qualitative service for all. These principles need to frame policy reforms and enforcement.
The World Health Organisation works on finance in the WASH sector because without adequate, well allocated finance, billions of people will continue to lack access to safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation. Access to water and sanitation could ultimately save over 800 000 lives per year, many of which are children, and improve the lives of many more. There are great opportunities to improve and increase WASH finance data, leading to more informed decision-making.
Team Leader WHO-led UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS), WHO
The sense of urgency in covering the existing financing gap for WASH seems to be absent in the sector. We need to move from talking about finance to actually implementing innovations in this area. We need more focus on local currency financing. Hard currency financing results in a lack of sustainable management and public accountability. Hard currency and sovereign guarantee loans disconnect the risks and associated costs from the repayment of the loan through the water tariffs and revenues. And sovereign guarantee loans disconnect the asset creation by the national government from the operations and maintenance by the service providers.
hematic Expert Water at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Sound governance is essential to mobilize finance for the water and sanitation sector. When countries have effective policies, country-led processes, and institutions capable of delivering sustainable water and sanitation services transparently, they attract investment from both domestic and external sources. That's why USAID is committed to working on water and sanitation sector governance and finance under the U.S. Global Water Strategy.
Director, Water Office, U.S. Agency for International Development
Let’s be clear: the biggest roadblock for many governments to deliver universal water and sanitation access is securing the necessary finance – whether it be for the ongoing costs of service delivery or for service expansion, quality improvement, or asset rehabilitation. This is therefore inherently a political challenge, requiring the involvement of both sector ministers and finance ministers. This Handbook is therefore designed specifically to help you in this task, including how to deliver greater efficiencies in the sector and ensure there are much needed reforms along the way.
High-level Chair, SWAThe rapid estimates provided by REVAMP are particularly intended to help city planners and policy-makers at crucial decision-points regarding waste management; for example, planning of new sanitation infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants, and climate mitigation measures. It can also be useful for engineers, developers, researchers and anyone interested in the circular economy.