09.00 to 10.30

"Growing, and maximising the impact of urban sanitation investments and services in Africa."

Creating opportunities for action-oriented solutions providers (entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, utilities, public authorities, associations) to network and accelerate the spread of their solutions.

The session discuss traditional as well as innovative financing instruments for the water sector in Africa in view of lessons learned globally. During the session a handbook on available financing instruments for the Africa region will be released and through a panel discussion between world experts and regional pioneers the most important principles for innovative and climate finance, will be elucidated. This will include a discussion on the potential of partnerships and coalitions and the role of multiple players: NGO's, public development banks and others.

Scaling up water financing is needed, especially in emerging and developing countries. Blended Finance can play an important role in that matter. This session sheds light on the main attributes that are commonly associated with successful Blended Finance projects in the water sector, distinguishing between grid systems under scope of water utilities and off grid ones, while looking to identify how the different actors can contribute to scale it up in the sector.

Access to sanitation remains a key issue for millions of people. 2.4 billion still lack access to basic sanitation, and 1.2 billion of these live in fragile or extremely fragile contexts. The COVID-pandemic only disclosed the fragility of the achievements by various stakeholders so far and highlights the importance of collaboration among WASH, health, and environment sectors for sustainable results.

Key opportunities through innovative funding mechanisms to implement North-South, South-South and Triangular water cooperation to improve access to water and sanitation for all.

Water, sanitation and hygiene are at the heart of the balances of ecosystems and societies, an essential factor of biodiversity, food security, health and peace. Public Development Banks have in many contexts proven they can have a catalyst role, not only to finance water and sanitation investments but also to enhance cooperation. This session will be an opportunity to explore their unique mandate and see how they can help bridging the funding gap towards sound WASH investments and achieving SDG6.

Due to the drastic changes of soci-economy (population growth, urbanizations, etc.) and the increasing severity of the mpact of climate change (watere extremes), the adequate water resources management has been put of great importance in many parts of the world.
In addition, water-related disaster risk reduction against floods and droughts is also becoming urgent issues to be tackled with to achieve the sustanable and resilient society of the future.

Effective transboundary water cooperation can only be achieved through a solid and coherent institutional framework. Adequate financing, public participation and transparency are some of the key building blocks that sustain transboundary water institutions. This session aims to explore the ways in which governance frameworks can help to provide sustainably financed institutions, foster cooperation and deliver shared benefits to water users across basins.

There is growing evidence that water scarcity, changes in precipitation patterns and extreme weather events combined with socioeconomic vulnerabilities are driving migration and displacement. In 2016, climate and water-related disasters were responsible for displacing 23.5 million people. Closing the knowledge gaps by gathering statistics, data and information on migration and its drivers, is key to support evidence-based policies, programmes and investments to tackle migration.