International Water Association concludes its 2023 conference
The IWA’s 2023 Water and Development Congress & Exhibition concludes today in Rwanda,
Last held in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s International Water Association’s (IWA) conference, focused on water infrastructure, sanitation services, and climate resilience, is currently underway in Kigali. Drawing participants from over 100 countries, the conference aims to tackle obstacles related to UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to “ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” by 2030.
The IWA Congress wraps up just two days after COP 28 in Dubai, with both events emphasizing challenges from the climate crisis for the Global South, particularly in rising water levels and water security. In 2023, water scarcity has intensified geopolitical tensions, seen already in the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Renaissance Dam’s repeated filling and Afghanistan’s plans to build a canal on the Amu Darya River in Central Asia.
Due to the IWA’s emphasis on water professionals and solution-oriented exhibits, coupled with disagreements at COP 28, prompt government support for addressing water issues in the Global South is unlikely. In the medium to long term, the failure of global actors to address water security will exacerbate current problems and lead to new water resource-related conflicts.
