ECLAC's participation in the Conference on Water Finance and Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean

Last Wednesday, November 24th, the Conference on Water Finance and Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean took place, organized by CAF, in order to analyze the initiatives undertaken by the countries, financial entities, and civil society actors from various functions and responsibilities around the financing and governance of water. The event also seeks to consolidate a vision of Latin America and the Caribbean regarding water, with its challenges, success stories and concrete recommendations, to be integrated into a preparatory document for the 9th World Water Forum. Experts from all over the region participated in this event; the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean was represented by the Director of the Natural Resources Division, Dr Jeannette Sánchez.

The Director highlighted the different challenges that the region faces regarding water management, such as scenarios of high water stress, increased water pollution and conflicts over its use, and coverage gaps in access, where 1 of each 4 people do not have access to safe drinking water and 7 out of 10 do not have access to safely managed sanitation.

Considering this context, Sánchez stressed that it is necessary to address the main limitations of the resource governance systems and the challenge of adapting regulatory frameworks allowing guaranteeing the human right to water, ensuring access to quality water for all people, supporting conflict resolution, establishing clear priorities for use and promoting investment.

Sánchez also highlighted the proposal that ECLAC is promoting: the sustainable and inclusive water transition to achieve i) the human right to water and sanitation without leaving anyone behind, ii) increase equal access and affordability in tariffs, eradicating water poverty, iii) eliminating negative externalities (conflicts, pollution and overexploitation) and iv) developing circular economies through the water value chain.

Finally, Sánchez expressed the commitment of ECLAC, making herself available to the countries of the region to support processes of institutional articulation, generation of evidence, definition and design of public water and multisectoral policy instruments.

Link to presentation (In Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK2OZxkauVY&ab_channel=CAF-bancodedesarrollodeAm%C3%A9ricaLatina-