Country Consultations on Water Speak to post-2015 Agenda

A series of 22 country consultations took place from February to May 2013 to address the importance of water to national development. These national stakeholder consultations were part of the process taking place to listen to country needs and priorities regarding the post-2015 agenda for water and sustainable development.

National Stakeholder Consultations on WaterThe findings have been published in a report, National Stakeholder Consultations on Water: Supporting the Post-2015 Development Agenda. In addition to this summary report, individual country reports have also been published, see links at right.

The report’s preface, written by the Chair of Global Water Partnership (GWP), Dr. Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, states that, “The UN Secretary General has stressed the importance of responding to the voice of stakeholders in the preparation of a future post-2015 development agenda. As well as numerous expert meetings and UN events, this has led to thematic consultations on the internet and social media (the World We Want 2015). The Global Water Partnership (GWP) has used its extensive network of partnerships to reach out to stakeholders across the world, complementing the online processes with face-to-face meetings, recording the voice of stakeholders in situ.”

Participants numbered over 1,000 with broad stakeholder representation from government, the private sector, academia, and civil society. An important feature was to include stakeholders from non-water sectors that are water-dependent.

Each country consultation discussed priorities in water resources management, water supply and sanitation, wastewater treatment, and water quality management. Water is recognised by countries as a pivotal ingredient for national development, providing food, energy and livelihoods and has the potential to make an even greater contribution to national development in the future.