The Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) Assembly is a biennial event designed to shape the future of global water and sanitation cooperation.
On 2 and 3 November 2024, the next GWOPA Assembly will occur in Cairo, Egypt, just before the World Urban Forum (WUF) on 4-8 November, the foremost global cities event organized by UN-Habitat and the Government of Egypt. This marks the first assembly under GWOPA’s new governance framework, which will feature a hybrid format that allows participation both in person and remotely.
This is your opportunity to engage with GWOPA's diverse membership, refresh our mandate, build new partnerships, and network with global stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector.
The Role of the Assembly
The GWOPA Assembly is one of three key bodies that form the GWOPA organizational structure, alongside the GWOPA Steering Committee and the GWOPA Secretariat as per the GWOPA Charter. The Assembly is open to all institutional and individual members. We encourage members to attend, either in person or virtually, to help guide the future of GWOPA and its mission.
As a member, the Assembly empowers you to:
- Reviews and guides the strategic direction of GWOPA;
- Endorse and validate the elections of the Steering Committee and elections of any other committees;
- Provide guidance to the Steering Committee and Secretariat on critical issues.
- Adopt recommendations and resolutions related to GWOPA’s work.
- Establish committees or task forces, such as the Integrity Committee and Election Committee.
What to Expect at the 2024 Assembly
We come together in solidarity to support utilities in advancing the SDGs. Join us in celebrating 15 years of collaboration as an Alliance.
The Assembly is the opportunity to understand the meaning and workings of the ‘Alliance’: how our members benefit from joining, how they can contribute, and how the governance works. Over the last 15 years, GWOPA has refined its ways of working together as Members, serving the Alliance with a Secretariat, a Steering Committee, and WOP platforms from several regions. Join us to meet with the new and current representatives from your constituencies and your region, to discuss how to best capitalize on this network. Read more on GWOPA Steering Committee.
Participate in the discussions on strategic orientations as GWOPA reviews progress on its current Strategy and prepares for the next one. Make your voice and needs heard!
The Assembly will offer learning opportunities, with some exciting short onsite courses and inspirational talks on the art of mentoring, facilitating WOPs, and more. On the second day of the Assembly, members will have the opportunity to participate in a training session organized by our partner, the Water Integrity Network (WIN). Later in the week, GWOPA and its local partners will offer a half-day technical visit to the vibrant city of Cairo.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the leading international conference on sustainable urban development. Attending the WUF is highly beneficial for the GWOPA membership as it offers unparalleled global networking opportunities with key stakeholders in urban development, access to expert knowledge and research, and insights into innovative solutions for urban challenges such as sustainable development, housing, and climate change. The forum allows participants to influence urban policy, engage in meaningful dialogue on the future of cities, and promote sustainable and inclusive urban practices.
GWOPA Assembly Chair Elections - Provisional Results
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Rose Christine Kaggwa, Senior Director of Business and Scientific Services at National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda, has been provisionally elected as the Chair of the GWOPA General Assembly. Her election will be formally endorsed at the GWOPA Assembly on 3 November 2024, and she will serve for two years.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Ignatius Jean, Executive Director, Caribbean Water And Sewerage Association (CAWASA), for his candidacy and his valuable contributions as a member of the GWOPA Steering Committee.
More on the role of the Chair of the Assembly and their criteria
