Sub-regional Workshop on Urban Water and Sanitation Services in South and South-West Asia

ESCAP in collaboration with the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, and the Ministry of Urban Development as well as the Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation of the government of Nepal, organized the sub-regional event in Kathmandu, Nepal on 9 and 10 August 2017. The sub-regional workshop was attended by relevant policy-makers, Mayors/Deputy-Mayors and experts from the South and South-West Asian (SSWA) sub-region and Thailand to exchange insights on effective strategies and inclusive solutions for improving urban water and sanitation services – through leveraging resources and partnerships, building local and national capacities, increasing resource conservation and use efficiencies, and integrating local, national and sectoral actions for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, largely Goals 6 and 11, and New Urban Agenda (NUA) of Habitat III. Chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, the workshop was opened by Honourable Minister for Urban Development and attended by almost 70 participants including those from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand; and UN-Habitat, Kathmandu Office.

The outcomes of the workshop include its recognition of the importance of incorporating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, largely SDG 6 and SDG 11, and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) of the Habitat III in designing and implementing of policies for sustainable urban water and sanitation services towards building the inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities. The workshop also provided its substantive inputs in finalizing the “Strategy Paper on Improving Urban Water and Sanitation Services in Kathmandu Valley”.