IAWD is pleased to announce the renewal of its cooperation with UN-Habitat through the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), marking an important step forward in our shared ambition to establish a Water Operators’ Partnerships Platform for South-Eastern Europe (WOP SEE).

This renewed partnership builds directly on the progress achieved over the past years. Through a first round of activities, including regional outreach, assessments, and a face-to-face matchmaking workshop, IAWD and GWOPA were able to test demand, identify concrete needs, and explore the potential of peer-to-peer cooperation among utilities in the region.

The workshop in November 2024 confirmed a strong and genuine interest in Water Operators’ Partnerships as a practical tool for capacity building. Utilities were not only willing to engage, but also able to articulate specific areas where peer support is needed, as well as areas of expertise they could offer as mentors. Based on these expressed interests, several promising WOP pairings were identified, demonstrating the richness of experience and know-how available within the region.

At the same time, the first phase helped raise awareness of WOP SEE among a wider group of stakeholders, including international financial institutions and development partners. While initial discussions with potential donors – notably cooperation/development agencies – showed encouraging interest, the current economic climate and widespread budget constraints across Europe have so far limited their ability to commit financial resources.

Building on what we have and upscaling efforts

Against this backdrop, the renewed cooperation with UN-Habitat/GWOPA places a strong emphasis on consolidation and upscaling. In 2026, the focus will be on two key pillars:

1. Strengthening the donor dialogue, including structured outreach and the organization of a second Donor Roundtable, to explore how WOPs can be better linked to investment programs and longer-term financing mechanisms;
2. Building a solid mentor–mentee structure, through the identification and mapping of utilities with relevant expertise and the development of feasible partnership models, including multi-mentor WOPs where appropriate.

With this renewed effort, IAWD and GWOPA aim to move from individual partnerships towards a robust, regionally anchored WOP SEE platform that can sustainably support utilities in improving performance and resilience.

This is also a call to action for our community

We invite utilities, associations, and partners across the region to help spread the word about the demand for peer support, the wealth of operational experience in South-Eastern Europe, and the value of WOPs as a complementary instrument to investment and training. Support can take many forms: engaging peers, sharing experiences, and connecting the initiative to contacts in IFIs, donor organizations, and beyond.

Engagement opportunities for utilities will continue throughout 2026 in the lead-up to the UN 2026 Water Conference, including dedicated GWOPA and UN-Habitat events linked to global policy processes. In particular, utilities are invited to note the following upcoming milestones:  

• Consultation processes towards the United Nations 2026 Water Conference: As GWOPA and its members contribute to shaping the Conference agenda. it is essential that the perspectives of water and sanitation utilities are reflected in global discussions on implementation, accountability, and impact.
• GWOPA Assembly: May 18, 2026, Baku (held in connection with the World Urban Forum, in-person and hybrid); the WUF Secretariat has opened a track for basic service providers, including water and sanitation utilities, in an effort to create more spaces for engagement and voices to be heard in preparation of the WUF.  

More information for both events is linked below, or stay up to date as an Individual GWOPA Member.

The foundations are in place. With continued engagement and collective effort, WOP SEE can become a lasting platform for solidarity in action among water operators in the region.

We will continue reporting on progress.