| Welcome
to the Website of AquaFed® - The International Federation of Private Water Operators. |
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AquaFed® is an association set up to connect international organisations with private sector providers of water and sanitation services. It does this on the international scene, representing the operators through direct membership or through their national associations. AquaFed membership is open to all privately controlled companies irrespective of their size or location.
To read more about AquaFed, please consult our Institutional Brochure. |
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| AquaFed® has been recognized as the the voice of the private water industry vis-à-vis international organisations. |
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| AquaFed® brings together over 300 water service providers operating
in 40 countries worldwide. |
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The Federation
was created in 2005.
A small team of professionals is based in Brussels and
Paris. |
| NEWS |
| – January 27, 2010 |
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- AquaFed’s contribution to the work of Catarina de Albuquerque,
the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation. |
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Following last year’s focus on “Sanitation”, the Independent expert is conducting her research this year, under the terms of her mandate, on private sector participation in the provision of water and sanitation services http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/water/iexpert/private_sector_participation.htm.
She will publish a report with her findings and recommendations by the summer of 2010. |
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AquaFed has been invited to take part in these broad consultations and 3 representatives participated in the public consultation organised by the Independent Expert at the UN in Geneva on January 27, 2010. AquaFed’s President Gérard PAYEN was asked to deliver a keynote speech at this public hearing. Download his “Introductory Remarks” (PDF) |
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AquaFed’s President Gérard PAYEN, also took part in the 2-day expert consultation workshop held in Geneva, January 25-26, 2010. The Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung will publish a report on their website: http://www.fes.de/ |
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| – October, 1st 2009
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| - AquaFed contribution to the work of Professor John Ruggie, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business and Human Rights. |
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AquaFed Submission: “Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and the Right to Water - The case of the provision of public water supply and sanitation services”: (PDF or weblink). |
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AquaFed’s key finding: “The Bilateral Investment Treaty obligations of a State to protect the investment of foreign shareholders of a local water operator, are compatible with and beneficial to the needs of this State to respect, protect and fulfil the Right to Water in its national territory.” |
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The existence of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) enhances the ability of States to attract foreign expertise, technology and investment, thereby helping them to meet their obligations to implement the Right to Water. These BITs do not create any obligation that would prevent the States from organising the implementation of the Right to Water. |
| In addition to this written submission, AquaFed was represented by MM. Jack Moss and Thomas Van Waeyenberge at the recent public consultation on Geneva (October 5-6, 2009: webpage) organised for Professor Ruggie by the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. |
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| – September 2009
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| - New World Bank's findings on water supply by private operators in developing countries. |
For the first time, the contribution of private operators to providing safe drinking water in developing countries is assessed globally. The World Bank report shows that overall local and international private companies deliver much more benefit to the populations and governments of developing countries than is generally recognised. (AquaFed Press Release in EN, FR, ESP).
Visit the World Bank webpage for the document “Public-Private Partnerships for Urban Water Utilities”, P.Marin, World Bank, PPIAF, Trends & Policy options n°8, February 2009 http://www.ppiaf.org/documents/trends_and_policy/PPPsforUrbanWaterUtilities-PhMarin.pdf |
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| – May 2009
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| - AquaFed participates in the 6th FEMIP Conference on "Sustainable Water Financing and Climate Change in the Mediterranean". |
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| –April 29, 2009 |
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| - Contribution by AquaFed to the “Sanitation Consultation”, organised by the United Nations’ Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque. |
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| - “Real Water Divides have been bridged”: Press Release by AquaFed on the Conclusion of the 5th World Water Forum (English, PDF; French, PDF)
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| – March 2009
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| - The Federation participates in the 5th World Water Forum |
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AquaFed participates in the 5th World Water Forum, March 16-22 2009 in Istanbul; Turkey (http://www.worldwaterforum5.org). The theme is "Bridging Divides for Water". AquaFed is involved at various levels: |
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March 18, 2009: AquaFed Press Release: "Bridging the real water divide between haves and have-nots. More ambition, more projects, no limitations that slow progress" (English PDF; French PDF; Turkish PDF) |
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AquaFed is a member of "Business Action for Water" (BAW - http://www.businessactionforwater.org/). Initially developed and rolled-out for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in 2004 and 2005, this renewed version of Business Action for Water aims to both represent business at the Forum and be the platform to facilitate business input. |
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AquaFed is part of the Theme 5 Finance Coordination Group and Topic Coordinator for Topic 5.1. - "Sustainable Local Finance". More information from the Virtual Meeting Space of the World Water Forum. |
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Quotes by Gérard Payen (PDF) |
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March 18, 2009: AquaFed organised Session 5.1.1. - "Financial Sustainability: Importance, progress and emerging issues."
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Presentation by Gérard Payen: "Progress since the Camdessus Panel and the Gurria Task Force" (PDF)
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Session 5.1.1. Final Scoping Document (PDF)
- Preliminary Conclusions (PDF)
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For more information and press inquiries please contact the AquaFed team in Istanbul: Thomas van Waeyenberge: +32 (0)479 23 78 26 (Cell) or +90 (0)53 53 60 14 22 (during the Forum) |
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March 18, 2009: Presentation by Gérard Payen in session 4.2.2.: "Optimising Public and Private Roles in managing water and sanitation service" (PDF) |
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| - AquaFed has prepared the following new briefing papers |
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Key Messages by the Federation for the World Water Forum (PDF)
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What Operators Do and Do Not Do (PDF) |
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| AquaFed Analysis of two landmark reports on the positive contributions of private sector participation |
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The Federation presents an initial analysis of two major World Bank reports that validate private sector contribution for access to water and sanitation goals: (PDF). Both Marin (2009) and Gassner (2008) show that private operators are making a real contribution to serving people, supporting and helping governments. Furthermore, the reports show that Private Sector participation to water services is growing steadily in developing countries and delivers. |
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