Congrats — you’ve made it to August! We’re heading into a quiet period now when the conference calendar traditionally winds down before the madness of September.
One of the few big events that has been an August mainstay for years is World Water Week — the key annual conference for the water and sanitation sector. But Stockholm International Water Institute, which runs it, is shutting down its aid activities amid financial pressures and governance changes. I understand that around two-thirds of its 90 employees will be made redundant. However, the team that organizes World Water Week will remain intact for now and the plan is that the event will continue, although there are questions around how it will be organized. A spokesperson tells me that this year’s World Water Week, which starts Aug. 25, is going ahead as normal.
Devex is taking a company-wide break next week. Instead of our usual roster of newsletters, we’ll be sending daily deep dives on U.K. aid, elections, development finance, and more. Make sure you’re signed up to the Newswire to get them in your inbox. I’ll be back with the next edition of the Weekender on Aug. 18.