Asia Water Week 2013

Organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Water Week 2013 will address ongoing efforts to reform water management policies and strengthen priority programmes. Focusing on the theme "Water Security for All" the meeting will cover issues including climate change, the water-food-energy nexus, disaster management, civil society, financing, private sector involvement and governance.  

dates: 13-15 March 2013   location: Manila (Manila), Philippines   additional: ADB headquarters   contact: Ian Makin   phone: +632 632 5803   www: http://www.adb.org/news/events/asia-water-week-2013  

related categories:Adaptation | Agriculture & Food Security | Asia | Disasters & Humanitarian Relief | Economics, Trade & Investment | Energy | Freshwater | International Financial Institution | Meeting | Regional Development Bank

Background

ADB is organizing Asia Water Week 2013 to deepen and expand analytical work in Asia’s water sector to advance inclusive policy reforms and strengthen support to priority programs and projects. The analytical work will provide the basis for sustained public investment and increased mobilization of private sector investment and expertise.
Asia Water Week 2013 has for its overarching theme "Securing Water for All". The conference will cover crosscutting topics such as climate change, water-food-energy nexus, and disaster management as well as sub-sector specific discussions, including water supply and sanitation, water resources and environment, and agriculture and irrigation. The ADB Water Prize 2013 award will also be presented.

Objectives

The conference will enable participants, including clients, ADB staff and invited specialists, to exchange knowledge on water sector issues, technologies, and to identify clients’ emerging priorities. New water sector initiatives will be announced, water sector professionals and leaders recognized, and innovations in the water sector encouraged.

Thematic areas

Aspects of water security will be examined through three thematic areas:

Basin Water Management - involvesriver basin institutions, capacity development, benchmarking, and stakeholder participation processes. Asia Water Week will provide a forum for exchanging knowledge and experiences in improving the planning, conservation, development, and management of water, forest, land, and aquatic resources in the context of increasing water security in river basins.

Urban Water Services - includeswater supply and sanitation, wastewater management, and flood risk management. Asia Water Week will focus on the key challenges facing the sector in the provision of water supply, sanitation and wastewater management services. Urban flood management, a perennial and growing problem, also needs to be addressed.

Rural Water Services - encompass irrigation, drainage, flood management, and water supply and sanitation services to rural communities. Asia Water Week will discuss ways to revitalize irrigation services to support market-oriented and diversified farms and to increase access to water supply and improved sanitation services for healthy and vibrant rural communities.