Promoting sustainable management of water and sanitation services

Thirty officials from 13 Commonwealth countries learned about the sustainable management of urban and peri-urban water and sanitation services at a Commonwealth Executive Exposure programme held in Accra, Ghana, from 30 June to 4 July 2008.

Bangladesh, Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Zambia were represented by chief executives and senior management officials dealing with water and sanitation in local governments and relevant ministries.

These participants examined current and future challenges in supply and demand, as well as the delivery of services.

“With decentralisation and governance reform, the roles and responsibilities of local governments in Commonwealth countries have expanded and increasingly include the supply and maintenance of urban and peri-urban infrastructure, including water and sanitation,” said Dr Munawwar Alam, Adviser on Sub-National Administration and Government at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

“This is a critical public utility and many of the world’s poorest people still lack adequate access to these basic services.”

The workshop - which was held at the University of Ghana’s Centre for African Wetlands - focused on integrated water management, public-private partnerships in the provision of water, and water programmes supporting livelihoods for the poor.

“The workshop helped to raise the awareness of participants, and hopefully this can translate into policy changes on addressing water and sanitation in urban localities,” said Jacqueline Wilson, Director of the Secretariat’s Governance and Institutional Development Division.

“I hope that their exposure to information sharing and debate on challenges in these areas can contribute to the improvements in delivering services and the enhancement of environmental sustainability.”

The Secretariat conducted the workshop in collaboration with University College London’s Development Planning Unit, and the Centre for African Wetlands.

Secretariat Links:

• Country-Profile: Ghana
• Governance