AquaFed's statement about the value of PPPs at the UN

AquaFed President Cyril Courjaret gave a message to the United Nations that well-designed and balanced PPPs deliver resilient and affordable services, including to the most vulnerable communities.

Cyril spoke at a session for water sector organizations to give their comments on the themes agreed by the United Nations for the main political ‘Interactive Dialogues’ for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

He also spoke about AquaFed’s 4Ps Initiative, launched just the day before the UN session, which aims to support Member States to enhance regulatory frameworks, and increase capacities to create and manage PPPs.

Here is the statement Cyril gave to the United Nations:

Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

My name is Cyril Courjaret, and I am the President of AquaFed, the International Federation of private operators and their partners for water and sanitation.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important meeting.

I also commend the huge efforts from Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, with the support of UN-DESA, for leading a dynamic and inclusive consultative process for the 2026 Water Conference.

By building on the outcomes of 2023, we have the opportunity to move from ambitions and commitments to solutions and implementation. In this regard, we particularly welcome the Interactive Dialogue on Finance for Water.

Investing in safe water and sanitation is a matter of human rights and a strategic catalyst for progress in health, education, gender equality, and sustainable economic growth.

Private sector is definitely not the only solution, but we believe there is no solution without the private sector.

In that regards, well-designed and balanced public-private partnerships (PPPs), provide efficiency to mobilize the full ecosystem of the value chain – water operators, engineers, consultants, start-ups, innovators, and technology providers - and to deliver resilient and affordable services, including to the most vulnerable communities.

However, these are complex processes that require robust legal frameworks, strong public oversight, control capacities, and ultimately clear objectives from public authorities.

Committed to deliver concrete outcomes in 2026, AquaFed launched yesterday the 4Ps Initiative. It aims to support Member States to enhance regulatory frameworks, and increase capacities to create and manage PPPs.

December 2026 is not a starting point but a moment to track progress on actions that we should all be taking together, in partnership, now.