Collaboration with Financing Institutions

Alan HallGWP Senior Adviser and

Chair of the EUWI Finance Working Group

Some characteristics• GWP is unique – it is the only international organisation

dedicated to water resources management.• GWP is influential - has articulated the Integrated approach to

water resources management and spread it worldwide.• GWP is a driver for change -Framework for Action at WWF2,

Camdessus Panel on financing water, governance.• GWP provides local support – IWRM plans to meet WSSD target.• GWP engages out of the water box - getting water on the World

Economic Forum agenda.• GWP reinforces the work of others – OECD on Financing Water

Resources Management.

Existing Collaboration

• WB is a founding member of GWP and sits in the SC.• GWP established GW-MATE which has supported the Bank on

groundwater issues. • WB/ADB staff and ex-staff members are part of the Network.• Supported ADB to establish Water Operators Partnership by

GWP-South Asia. • Supporting AfDB and AMCOW on political processes and

financing water (including Africa Water Weeks)• Active member of the EUWI-FWG since 2003 with links to

European Commission, EIB and bilateral donors.• GWP-Central Africa linked to BDEAC.

HOW DO WE SCALE UP OUR COLLABORATION?

Water as part of national development

• Build on national IWRM planning.• Translate plans into funded programmes:– WB Country Strategies (e.g. Zambia and Mali), – IWRM plans incorporated into PRSP/NDPs by

governments (e.g. Benin and Malawi)• Continue to develop water policies through a participatory

approach.• Supporting AfDB and AMCOW in organising a meeting of

Water and Finance ministers.• Scope for GWP to work with Financing agencies to

advance key elements of the IWRM plans.

GWP Strategy for a Water Secure World 2009 -13

The strategy provides the framework for identifying opportunities for collaboration with Financing agencies

Four goals:• Promote Water as a key part of sustainable national

development (operational)• Address critical development challenges (advocacy)• Reinforce knowledge sharing and communications

(knowledge)• Build a more effective network (partnering)

Water as part of national development

Regional Financing Workshops (with EUWI-FWG)• Seven GWP regions: WAf, EAf, CACENA, CAM, SAM, MED,

CAf.• Strengthened regional/national links between water and

finance officials.• Build capacity of water professionals on finance .• Inject realism on finance issues (e.g. on pricing, link

between governance and financing, need for soft and hard investments).

• Developing new work on Economics of Water security.• Considerable scope to work with Financing Agencies.

Addressing critical challenges• GWP TEC knowledge products influential in developing key

issues and finding solutions.• Training material developed with INBO on Basin Management,

and with EUWI and CapNet on financing water.• Future priorities:

– Water and adaptation to climate change– Water and food security. – urban water management. – Transboundary cooperation.

• Scope for collaboration with financing institutions on these issues.

Reinforce knowledge• Making knowledge accessible. Knowledge products,

Workshops, Dialogues, Networking all critical to knowledge sharing, capacity building and behavioural change.

• Communications given increased prominence in the new strategy.

• Autonomous regional/country partnerships ensures strong local ownership and captures local experience.

• Network has become local point of contact for international organisations including UN agencies and financing institutions.

• Bank’s can get added value by more collaboration with the RWP/CWP.

More Effective Network• The Network extends across all disciplines and sectors.• Provides a neutral space for solving problems.• Links different government entities, NGOs, academia and

private sector. • Recognises regional diversity and solutions – avoiding global

blueprints.• RWP/CWP operate on a shoestring with considerable in-kind

input.

• Need to build more focussed alliances with financing institutions.

Opportunities: GWP facilitation• GWP creates the enabling environment that facilitates the

work of the Finance agencies. • Rich network of local expertise with political connections that

can help banks to avoid mistakes and wasteful investments.• Help integrate water strategies into the normal Government

planning and budgeting processes. • Help water officials to engage and articulate value of water to

Finance and other officials.• Help aid effectiveness through informal stakeholder/

government/donor coordination.• Build capacity on key issues: climate adaptation, food

security, financing and governance.

Opportunities - Funding

• GWP is a resource but not a free resource. Facilitation /knowledge/capacity tasks cost time and money.

• GWP is dependent on bilateral donors.• Bilateral donors keen that GWP is a catalyst to leverage

more finance for water.• Bank could take more advantage of the work of GWP

with closer partnerships based on specific activities. • Banks free-ride on the work of GWP . Banks need to

give GWP strategic support and convince the bilateral donors of our continuing value.

Hurdles?

• How to support GWP facilitation processes given MDBs rules and funding mechanisms?

• What mechanisms exist to provide support (e.g. use of Trust Funds or other budgets to support GWP work)?

• MDBs project focussed, explore embedding ‘soft’ interventions as part of infrastructure funding.

• Banks could outsource some knowledge development to others - GWP a fraction of the cost!