New partnership between GWOPA and the Bonn Water Network

The water and sanitation challenges in cities and communities around the world are more critical than ever. Long-standing challenges are further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis.

With such an unprecedented crisis, cooperation and solidarity have proven necessary instruments. As part of the Strategic Plan 2020-2023, UN-Habitat has committed to supporting member states to increase access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

As part of that commitment, the UN-Habitat’s Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), hosted in the City of Bonn since 2020, starts a partnership with the Bonn Water Network to advance in GWOPA’s mission to support water operators to increase access to water and sanitation for all. UN-Habitat’s Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, celebrates the new partnership by highlighting:

“We look forward to partnering through the Bonn Water Network to advance our shared vision of a better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world. We need to come together in solidarity-based, multi-lateral partnerships that can achieve effective action. Now more than ever. Together we can make progress as like-minded and committed partners.”

The Executive Director shares four key messages critical for progress:

• Address the lack of service coverage among the urban poor
• Invest in better sanitation and wastewater management, improve water security and strengthen the regenerative and circular approaches to water
• Step up support to cities, local water management institutions and communities to tackle the threat of climate change
• Public utilities urgently need funding and support to ensure business continuity and quality of service while working to progressively serve all. WOPs help build the institutional capacity of these essential service providers.

Full statement: