Sounding Board of the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative to Drive Global Water Utility Reforms

The Sounding Board of the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative (UWCI) is an advisory group composed of up to 12 members from various sectors, including water, climate, urban development, finance, civil society, and private businesses. Its main role is to provide feedback and recommendations to UWCI’s Preparation Group and management on the initiative’s development, operations, and scaling. The Sounding Board aims to support UWCI’s mission of improving water and sanitation utility services in urban areas, making them creditworthy and capable of attracting long-term financing. Members offer insights on sector-related strategies and funding priorities and help identify synergies with other financing initiatives.

On behalf of the Alliance, Åsa  Jonsson, Head of GWOPA, is one of the representatives of the Sounding Board of the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative (UWCI), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This initiative links water sector innovation with climate resilience and urban transformation, aiming to drive sustainable turnarounds for water utilities. As part of the multi-stakeholder Sounding Board, together with our members, the GWOPA Secretariat will provide critical insights and recommendations to guide the development, operation and scaling of the UWCI. The Sounding Board serves as an advisory body, ensuring the initiative remains connected to international discussions on water utility reforms and financing.