Category: News

  • 22nd AfWASA International Congress  – Water and sanitation for all: A secure future for Africa

    22nd AfWASA International Congress – Water and sanitation for all: A secure future for Africa

    From February 16 to 20 was held the 22nd  International Congress under the topic “Water and sanitation for all: A secure future for Africa.”

    Dr. Ing. Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), host of the event, said the congress would be an opportunity to assess progress made in access to water and sanitation services on the continent.

    This was an opportunity for AgroParisTech, through its “Water for All” chair, to take part in the conference. Mr Faby, Director of the Chair, was able to meet many of AgroParisTech’s partners, former trainers of the ‘Water for All’ Advanced Masters – OpT and, above all, many alumni!

    Person met during these 5 days:

    • Mrs. Kadija Keita – OPT Alumna – session 2013-14
    • Mr. Joel Bouafou – OPT Alumno – session 2013-14
    • Mrs. Zainab Mpakiraba – OPT Alumna – session 2015-16
    • Mr. Joel Mwesigye – OPT Alumno – session 2017-18
    • Mrs. Awa Sarr – OPT Alumna – session 2017-18
    • Mr. Boulbaba Guenounou – OPT Alumno – session 2019-20
    • Mr. Saker Idriss – OPT Alumno – session 2021-22
    • Mr. Stéphane Claon – OPT Alumno – session 2023-24
    • Mr. Mallo Gueye – OPT Alumno – session 2023-24
    • Dr. Rose Kaggwa – NWSC – Senior Director Business and Scientific Services – Alumna short training session – Digital transformation
    • Dr. Sylvia Alinaitwe – NWSC – Director Finance & Accounts – Alumna short training session – Digital transformation
    • Mr. Aimé Loukou – SODECI – Advisor for the Managing Director – Alumno short training session – Urban strategy for collective and non-collective sanitation in African cities
    • Mr. Guemegbo Hypolithe Gogo – SODECI – Deputy Director Sanitation – Alumno short training session – Urban strategy for collective and non-collective sanitation in African cities

     

    • Mr. Olivier Gosso – AfWASA – Executif Director
    • Mr. Sylvain USHER – AfWASA – ex Executif Director – member fo the board – Mentor of the Advanced Master “Water for All” session 2023-24
    • Mr. Camille Dansou – SONEB – Ex Managing Director
    • Mr. François Doussin – SUEZ – CEO Africa
    • Mr. Alexandre Duzan – SUEZ – Deputy Director Sondalp-Hydroforage
    • Mr. William Muhairwe – senior team leader 2ML consulting – Former trainer Advanced Master “Water for All”
    • Mr. El Hadji Bamba Diaw – 2iE Director
    • Dr. Halidou Koanda – Head of Regional Programmes for WaterAid West Africa
    • Professeur Kouasi Dongo – University Houphouët-Boigny – Senior scientist & project officer
    • Dr. Francine Abiola – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – senior WASH strategic advisor
    • Mrs. Lionelle Abiola – École Polytechnique de Montréal






















































  • Vietnam’s Mekong Delta to struggle with rising saline intrusion during Tet

    Vietnam’s Mekong Delta to struggle with rising saline intrusion during Tet

    Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region will intensify over the next 10 days, with several rivers having salinity levels of four parts per thousand that will extend between 25 and 50 kilometers. 

    To read more

  • World Bank Blog: Reflecting on 2024: A year of progress for water security

    World Bank Blog: Reflecting on 2024: A year of progress for water security

    As we wrap up 2024, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the milestones we’ve achieved, and the transformative steps taken by the Global Department for Water. This year, we made great strides toward securing water for people, food, and the planet— a mission that lies at the heart of our work.

    Let’s revisit the top five highlights of 2024 and the achievements that shaped our efforts

    To read more

  • OCTOBER 15 – GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY§

    OCTOBER 15 – GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY§

    October 15 marks Global Handwashing Day, a worldwide awareness-raising day dedicated to increasing the importance of handwashing with soap. A simple, effective and economical way to prevent disease and save lives!

    The theme of this year’s Global Handwashing Day is “Why is it always important to have clean hands? Clean hands remain a fundamental defense against the spread of infection, disease and harmful germs. Whether in hospitals, schools or everyday interactions, the practice of handwashing with soap contributes to better health outcomes and a safer world for all.

    You too can celebrate Global Handwashing Day! To help you do so, and to raise awareness of this essential gesture, we recommend you visit the official website, available in English, French and Spanish.

    Global Handwashing Day

  • Tap water use in low countries – Mapping

    Tap water use in low countries – Mapping

    Learn more on Science.org

    Abstract

    Safe drinking water access is a human right, but data on safely managed drinking water services (SMDWS) is lacking for more than half of the global population. We estimate SMDWS use in 135 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) at subnational levels with a geospatial modeling approach, combining existing household survey data with available global geospatial datasets. We estimate that only one in three people used SMDWS in LMICs in 2020 and identified fecal contamination as the primary limiting factor affecting almost half of the population of LMICs. Our results are relevant for raising awareness about the challenges and limitations of current global monitoring approaches and demonstrating how globally available geospatial data can be leveraged to fill data gaps and identify priority areas in LMICs.

    Editor’s summary

    The availability of safe drinking water is far from universal, but exactly how it varies geographically and why this occurs is not well understood. Greenwood et al. combined Earth Observation data, geospatial modeling, and household survey data to estimate that only one in three people in low- and middle-income countries have access to safely managed drinking water services (see the Perspective by Hope). Fecal contamination is the primary limiting factor, affecting almost half of the population of these regions. This means that more than 4.4 billion people in poorer countries lack safe drinking water, a number more than twice as high as some other estimates. —Jesse Smith
  • 5th International scientific workshop of the “Water for All” Chair

    5th International scientific workshop of the “Water for All” Chair

    RETHINKING WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES IN THE LIGHT OF ACCELERATING CLIMATE CHANGE

    Accra – June 5 and 6, 2024

    Bilingual event with simultaneous translation – Version française

    Organised by the “Water for All” Chair and RWESCK

    On-site and online participation

    Challenges

    2023 was about to become the hottest year on record on our planet. Climate change and its effects are set to accelerate, urging human societies to take action. Meanwhile, the challenge of providing safe water and sanitation to all remains daunting in many locations. For decades, many cities in Africa and Asia have been struggling to expand quality service in the face of rapid and chaotic urbanization, population growth, lack of capacity and resources. Climate change now heightens uncertainty. By nurturing slow-moving threats, such as rising sea levels and disruption of rainfall regimes, and by increasing the probability of extreme events such as droughts, floodings, and fires, it feeds population displacements and potentially contributes to political unrest . How does this evolution push actors of the water sector to think differently about how to design and manage urban water utilities? How can they adapt to a dramatic but uncertain change?

    Scientific workshops

    Scientific workshops organized by the ‘Water for All’ Chair bring together urban water utilities managers, experts and scholars to think about what would be the right path for further research and actions to stay on track to reach the SDGs. The 4th scientific workshop was held in 2021 and explored how to overcome institutional and organizational barriers to sanitation (Colon, Rieu, 2022). The need to devote the 5th edition to the broader challenge of provision of water and sanitation services in the light of accelerating climate change seems quite obvious. For the first time, the seminar will be held in Africa, to foster participation of water stakeholders based in this continent and case studies from African studies.

    The scientific worskshop 2024 will enable us to approach the subject from different angles:

    • What does climate change mean for water and wastewater services?
    • How can services in different cities be prepared for climate change?
    • How is adaptation to climate change transforming the governance, management and design of water and sanitation services?was


    SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP PROGRAM


    WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS


    PHOTOS

    Scientific committee

    Eugene Appiah-Effah, RWESCK / KNUST; Esi Awuah, RWESCK / KNUST; Pierre Bauby, Observatoire de l’action publique de la Fondation Jean-Jaurès; Richard Buamah, RWESCK/KNUST; Laurent Béduneau-Wang, Africa Business School – University Mohamed VI Polytechnique (ABS-UM6P); Marine Colon, AgroParisTech, UMR G-EAU, MRM; Clément Frenoux, AFD; Christoph Lüthi, Sandec / EAWAG; Pierre-Louis Mayaux, CIRAD, UMR G-EAU; Thierry Rieu, UMR G-EAU; Klaas Schwartz, IHE Delft;  Guillaume Stahl, Suez; 

    Organisation committee:

    Jeffery Daniel Ackora Aprah, RWESCK / KNUST, Eugene Appiah-Effah, RWESCK
    / KNUST; Francine Audouy, AgroParisTech,
    UMR G-EAU; Esi Awuah, RWESCK / KNUST;  Yaw Bempong, RWESCK /
    KNUSTSandra Ceschin, AgroParisTech ; Marine Colon, AgroParisTech,
    UMR G-EAU, MRM; Racheal Gyameraah, RWESCK /
    KNUST; Asare Kwakye Justice, RWESCK
    / KNUST, Wilfried Ligan, AgroParisTech; Christoph Lüthi, Sandec /
    EAWAG ;  Madleine Albright Oppong Gyan, RWESCK
    / KNUST;  Camille Salaün,AgroParisTech,
    UMR G-EAU; Salamatu Salifu,RWESCK /
    KNUST

    Call – now closed – Call to be downloaded

    Venue – Alisa North Ridge Hotel – https://m.alisahotels.com/

    Any question? – waterforallresearch@agroparistech.fr




    1st page Photo credit- Antoine Delepière 2024

    With the financial support of

     

  • WORLD WATER FORUM – BALI – SIDE-EVENT – WEDNESDAY MAY 22nd – 4.30pm local time

    WORLD WATER FORUM – BALI – SIDE-EVENT – WEDNESDAY MAY 22nd – 4.30pm local time

    STAND ESPACE FRANCE

    WEDNESDAY 22nd MAY

    4.30pm Local time

    ROUNDTABLE:
    “Tranferring knowledge to the World Forum with “Water for All” Chair

    SPEAKERS

    Mrs Géraldine MPOUMA LOGMO – Vice Chairperson – Women for Sustainable Energy & Climate Action – Cameroon
    Mr. Andi WIJAYA ADANI – Director PDAM Tirta Musi Palembang – Indonesia
    Mrs. Justitiana ANGGRAINI – Project developement Manager – SUEZ Indonesia
    Mr. Abdoulaye Mallo GUEYE – Head of the Technological Development, Treatment & Control department -ONAS Senegal
    Mr. Sereysomanuh SAMAUN – Strategy analyst – Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority – Cambodia
    Mr. Hypolithe GOGO – Deputy Director Sanitation – SODECI – Ivory Coast

    We’ll be thrilled to welcome you there!


    To follow live

  • 1st Steering committee Ex Pots program with MS OPT Alumni

    1st Steering committee Ex Pots program with MS OPT Alumni

    The Chair has set up an Ex Post program with pilot countries for its French- and English-speaking alumni of the “Water for All” Advanced Master’s program – OPT – to measure the impact of the training and the return of skills of its trained managers to their water and sanitation utility companies.

    This program has started last September in Casablanca with 4 pilot countries: Senegal, Burkina-Faso, Mauritania and Rwanda.

    This program was created to meet the needs of the sector, improve service performance, share this impact with our funding partners and, above all, contribute to the development of developing countries.

    It is sponsored by the Chair’s governing bodies and public and private partners.
    It identifies essential skills by area of expertise and the levels required by business profile. It helps to develop appropriate coaching to support the needs of HR departments and training directors.
    It is deployed by water and/or wastewater utilities and ministries, and by pilot countries in the fields of management, personal transformation and sector knowledge. For the time being, it will run for 2 years.

    Project team / Roles and missions / Steering Committee

    Regional HR Department and its counterpart: steers the project locally, contributes to filling in the skills & target levels tool, measuring the impact of action plans and their implementation, and actively participates in implementing the roadmap of training courses to be created locally. He/she contributes at every stage, liaises with the Agency’s CODIR and the Chair, is responsible for updating the list of targeted employees, and is in charge of recording the training carried out by employees.

    Managers / Alumni: act as information relays throughout the project, from self-positioning to support for employees (individualization of the necessary training courses) in southern countries.




























  • Solidarity funds for our managers in Palestine

    Solidarity funds for our managers in Palestine

    The Chair has been training water and sanitation managers in Palestine since 2013.

    As you know, our managers have been in Gaza since October 7, 2023, in a desperate situation with women and children.

    The Chair has set up 3 solidarity funds to help them get out via a secure channel.

    Mr. Bashar Shaheen, his wife and 3 children
    Mr. Mohamed Soor, his wife and 4 children
    Mr. Fahed Khatib, his wife and 4 children

    These are 3 managers who worked for the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, responsible for providing water and sanitation in Gaza. Three men committed to the human development of their country, Palestine, three actors in the public services of drinking water, a resource so fundamental to ordinary life, and in such a context of war, to survival.

    We support these three men and their families because we trained them at the “Water for All” Chair. They and their families are in great difficulty in Gaza.

    They have been geo-located by our International School of Management based in Paris and Montpellier (“Water for All” Chair) since October 7.

    For more than a month, there has been an official Israeli-Egyptian channel for exfiltrating our friends from the hell they have been in since the beginning of October. This channel is official and safe. The “Water for All” Chair is coordinating this fund-raising effort, and is committed to keeping you informed of the mobilization until the exfiltration from Gaza is successful, and our friends are resettled with supportive families who are members of the Chair’s international network.

    Here are the 3 fundraising links to help them leave for Egypt

    Solidarity fonds for Mr Bashar-Shaheen

    Solidarity funds for Mr Fahed-Al Khatib

    Solidarity funds for Mr Mohamed-Sroor

    Thanks in advance for them.

  • GRADUATION CEREMONY PROMOTION SYLVAIN USHER 2023-2024

    GRADUATION CEREMONY PROMOTION SYLVAIN USHER 2023-2024

    On Friday March 15 at 3:30 pm, the graduation ceremony for the 9th class of the Advanced Master “Water for All” – OpT – Sylvain Usher promotion took place.

    From 20 countries, 38 new managers graduate for the future of water worldwide!

    Read more




















































  • OPENING OF THE RECRUITMENT FOR MS OPT SESSION 2025-26

    OPENING OF THE RECRUITMENT FOR MS OPT SESSION 2025-26

    SAVE THE DATE

    Recruitment is ON for the future water AND/OR sanitation managers willing to apply for the session 2025-26 of the International Executive Master “Water for All” – OpT

    Application form

  • AgroParisTech and St Gobain welcomed at Guinea Water Company

    AgroParisTech and St Gobain welcomed at Guinea Water Company

    During his visit to Guinea this week, Jean Antoine Faby was invited, along with representatives of the St Gobain company, by Aboubacar Camara, General Manager of SEG.

    He was able to meet up with 4 former OPTimates who are now Directors: 

    Ms Kadidja KEITA – Director of Studies, Planning and Investments – class of 2011-12

    Mr. Sylla N’FALLY – Domestic Customer Manager – class of 2011-12

    Mr Thierno Mamadou Nassirou DIALLO – Operations and Quality Manager – class of 2013-14

    M. Moussa Aboubacar CAMARA – DGA Infrastructure and Development – class of 2017-18