Event Description
This seminar will bring together regional experts to discuss the state of the water and sanitation sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first section of the panel will explore the challenges in the region from the perspective of regional experts. This will be followed by a segment of Q&A and an open discussion coordinated by the chair. The second section will offer the convening organizations an opportunity to present their experiences and vision on how multi-stakeholder cooperation can help  face these challenges successfully. 


Programme

Section I:  Multistakeholder Panel

Section II: Convening Organisations’ Programmes, Initiatives and Experiences in Multistakeholder Cooperation

This event is part of Focus on Latin America. See all related events below:

19-08-2009 12:45-13:45 Lunch Side Event
Sustainable Water Tariffs for Latin America

19-08-2009 17:45-18:45 Evening Side Event
Integrated Land and Water Resources Management in Brazil

Event Summary and Conclusions
The seminar ‘Prospects and Challenges of Multi-stakeholder Cooperation of the Water Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean’ was held as part of the Half Day for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Water Week in Stockholm. It was co-hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), UN-Habitat, and the Water Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CAALCA).

The first section of the seminar consisted of a panel of six experts, from different sectors and countries, gathered to discuss about the challenges in the water and sanitation sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. As well as emphasize the necessity of strategic collaboration between different sectors, in order to create sustainable solutions.

The valuable diversity of perspectives allows the audience to get a clearer picture of the challenge LA faces.

First, Carlos Rosito, from the Inter American Association of Sanity and Environmental Engineering (AIDIS), discussed that efficiency and productivity with respect to water management is the most significant tool to address the challenges of water stress in the region.

From the academic perspective, Polioptro Martínez, director of the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA), stated that a water sector reform is a multi-stakeholder task that should focus on providing better regulation, financing, technology, and involve a greater share of public participation.

On the other hand, Karin Krchnak, from The Nature Conservancy, assured Green Infrastructure is the best method to minimize the impact on environmental services caused by climate change. She stressed the importance to protect territories that supply freshwater due to the dependence on it from a broad variety of industries.

During the second section of the seminar, the convening organizations presented their experiences and vision on how multi-stakeholder cooperation can address the challenges successfully.

For instance, UN-Habitat assists countries to increase sustainable access to water supply and sanitation provision of urban and peri-urban communities through strategic partnerships which leverage financial, technical and social resources.

On the other hand, the IADB has five modalities for its Water and Sanitation Initiative, which are: a) Sovereign and non-sovereign guaranteed loans; b) Technical assistance and investment grants; c) Strategic sector plans; d) Water Operators Partnership; and e) Knowledge creation and dissemination.

The focus of CAALCA in five main activities is another example about how actors are addressing challenges in the region: a) applied research and technological development; b) capacity building of water utilities and other professional related to the water sector; c) dissemination of knowledge; d) Latin American Portal of Water; and e) consulting and laboratory services.

Finally, Jürgen Mahlknecht, director of CAALCA, concluded that the entities in charge of water resources management should allow more multi-stakeholder participation. He mentioned the importance of creating more synergies between government, ONG’s, academics and private sector in planning and implementing water related projects. Also, he highlighted the need to improve coordination and communication between academics and government for better results.