Voices from the ongoing World Water Week In Stockholm, Sweden

“ It’s been an intensive and proud few days where we’ve launched the Heads of State Initiatives, together with our partners: the Government of the Netherlands, IRCWASH, and UNICEF.

These days also involved discussions with Ministers, leaders, and partners, focusing on Presidential Initiatives and how SWA can better support them in their work to reach high-level decision-makers.

A significant part of my meetings also revolved around the forthcoming SWA Finance Ministers’ Meetings in 2023 and 2024 happening across different regions with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), African Development Bank Group, Inter-American Development Bank and The World Bank.

I was honoured to meet with Hon. Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of Indonesia, as we prepare for the 10th World Water Forum. Also met – after 15 years and legal adventures in Geneva – the Indonesian Ambassador in Stockholm, Mr Kamapradipta Isnomo.

I’m very energized and positive to see the work and effort that everyone in the sector is contributing towards our shared goal: ensuring universal access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.”

• Catherina De Albuquerque, the Chief Executive Officer at Sanitation And Water for All

 

 

 

Global System For Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) sessions at WWW

The Global System For Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) is one of the four Key Collaborating Partners for this year’s World Water Week. They welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the shape of this year’s program and are excited about what the conference can produce.

Highlighted below are some of the sessions they are presenting at, the GSMA grantees attending the conference, and 22 sessions from others that have caught their eye. These are discussed across five major themes:

1. Digital innovation and launching innovative models
2. Innovative partnership models and public-private collaboration
3. Water, sanitation and climate
4. Circularity and water, and
5. Innovative financing.

 

 

Africa Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) launches AVOW magazine

History has been made. AVOW, your one-stop magazine for water, sanitation and hygiene affairs in Africa, has just been launched by AMCOW and Partners at World Water Week in Stockholm. Information sharing and knowledge management are fundamental to our pursuit of assuring water security and safely managed sanitation for all purposes.

• Tanko Yusuf Azzika (PhD), the Senior Policy Advisor at The Africa Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW)

 

Nigeria, UNICEF discuss WASH Systems Strengthening at the 2023 Stockholm World Water Week

Today, I was honored to join global WASH experts to discuss WASH Systems Strengthening at the 2023 Stockholm World Water Week. During the session on ‘Systems Strengthening and Leadership for Sustainable WASH Services in Practice’, I presented the first ever WASH Sector Wide Sustainability Check (SWSC) on behalf of UNICEF and the government of Nigeria. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to the conversation on ensuring that WASH infrastructures are sustainable. Let’s keep collaborating for accessible WASH solutions worldwide!

• Johnathan Ekhator, the Data and Visualization/ Program Specialist for WASH with UNICEF

 

Youth participation in WWW

Youth participation in global water solutions is crucial, as we have the energy and access to Information and new technologies to drive the desired change and also rally our peers to be a part of the change. Statistics from Water Week 2022 show that youth engagement is crucial and increasing.

Over the past 8 months, having served in Lagos Island LGA in Lagos State, I can testify to the claims on the world water week website that say “many of the world’s greatest challenges are inextricably linked to water”. I have come to this realization, and a lot of youths like myself also need to, which is why I gave a short address to the National Youth Service Corps SDGs DKF during our last meeting to explore social impact projects in Goal 6 and other climate actions.

We could provide a thousand books to students; however, if the environment they come from does not promote economic prosperity as a result of pollution, smelly environment, unclean water, and flooding, we’d only be running in circles as there would be more children who would need more books in the future. However, it requires some learning to be a Climate Changemaker and here’s another learning opportunity.

• Rasheed Bello, a Graduate Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (GMNSE)