The United States introduced on World Water Day, March 22, an initiative to bring together and mobilize the “best of U.S.” expertise and resources to address water challenges in the developing world.
The new public-private partnership, simply dubbed U.S. Water Partnership, will serve as a common platform for U.S. diplomatic, development, scientific and business communities to collaborate on innovative and integrated solutions to global worldwide water problems.
Through the partnership, U.S. government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, research centers, scientific institutions and private companies can easily share information, create networks and leverage each other’s resources. It is also expected to create new entrepreneurial opportunities for U.S. firms by linking them with global water-related projects.
USWP is led by the Global Environment and Technology Foundation with five founding partners that include the U.S. Department of State. Also on board are the Coca-Cola Co., Africare, Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble Co., NASA and various U.S. government agencies. Organizations interested in the partnership may visit its official website for more information.
The partnership will offer three kinds of services: Web-based knowledge and information tools, technical assistance and training, and support for partnership development. Expected clients include foreign governments, international organizations, aid agencies, implementing NGOs, humanitarian groups, development banks, farmer or river/basin organizations, foreign research centers and the partnership’s own members.
In a speech introducing USWP’s launch, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also announced the release of an Intelligence Community Assessment on Global Water Security. The ICA report notes global water challenges could boost instability in fragile and conflict states, which may result in increased demand for U.S. assistance and expertise.
Read more development aid news online, and subscribe to The Development Newswire to receive top international development headlines from the world’s leading donors, news sources and opinion leaders — emailed to you FREE every business day.
