Welcome to

Water and Beyond

EU transformative approaches for international partnerships

‘Water and Beyond’ will deliver insights on how to strengthen transboundary cooperation, build broader partnerships and trigger water investments in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. It will create meaningful connections between thematic silos for the formulation and implementation of water policies, projects and programmes. It will also lay the groundwork for applying the European Union's priorities for International Partnerships in the water sector and will make the link with programming and the Team Europe approach. 

This high-level event is hosted by the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships and the Government of Slovenia, with the support of the Government of Portugal as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is addressed to policy-makers, decision-makers and stakeholders who can contribute to ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The online event will stretch over four days, with high-level panels, thematic sessions and networking opportunities to facilitate contacts between participants with common interests who wish to foster ongoing or future cooperation.

The 4-day online event will gather:

• government representatives from the European Union institutions (Commission, Parliament, Delegations), from EU Member States and EU partner countries, including policy-makers from ministries addressing agriculture, energy, environment and water;
• national and international experts from private and public water entities, development agencies, financing institutions and civil society.

Seven technical sessions on various water-related topics will be flanked by a high-level opening and closing session led by relevant political leaders. Topics to be discussed include:

• Water as an equaliser: realising impact for human development
• Water as a catalyst for cooperation: fostering trust and peace
• Bridging the financial gap: investing in SDG 6
• The water-climate nexus: how to address the cascading crises
• With knowledge and skills: water as the engine for economic development and jobs
• Water and the Environment: resource management to support nature
• Water as a human right: working towards implementation with all partners

These sessions are co-hosted by prominent European and international partners in the water sector, namely: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Women for Water Partnership (WfWP), WaterAid, and Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association (BORDA). Each session will feature a number of high-level technical keynote speakers, among which are the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, the Slovenian Minister for Development, the Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Senegal Minister for Water and Sanitation, the European Commission Director-General for International Partnerships, the Special Envoy for International Water Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, the UNECE Executive Secretary, the Associate Director for WASH at the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the CEO of Sanitation and Water for All.

The event will be held in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA - version 21/01/21 - 12:28

European Union International Partnership Pillars

Each session will address the pillars and priorities of the European Union for international partnerships, as follows: