New agenda to transform the world of water to be debated in Paris

OXFORD UK, 8 Apr 2010 - Professor Asit Biswas will introduce a new international political agenda for solving the world’s water problems at the Global Water Summit in Paris on 26th April. The Stockholm Water Laureat is the leading advisor to governments on water management issues.

“I am planning to give a speech which will force the audience not only to sit up and take notice, but also put certain issues in the international political agenda for solving the world’s water problems. I intend to take on many water myths,” says Professor Biswas, who heads the Third World Centre for Water Management in Mexico City, and is distinguished visiting professor for at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore.

The event, which will be attended by Queen Noor of Jordan, brings together high level delegates from the public and private sector to look at how to transform the performance of the water sector in the face of growing water scarcity and the continuing failure to deliver water and wastewater services to the poor.

Significant participants include:

  • Peter Brabeck Letmathe, Chairman of Nestlé
  • Dr Mohammed Al Saud, Deputy Water Minister, Saudi Arabia
  • Dr Yahya al Yahya, CEO of the Gulf Investment Bank
  • Bruce Babbitt, Former Secretary of the Environment, US
  • Heiner Markhoff, CEO of GE Water

The event will conclude with a controversial debate on whether water should be run as a business, with Maude Barlow, who leads the global campaign against private water head to head with Gerard Payen, who heads the Aquafed, the international federation of private water operators.

Water is emerging as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century. The failure of the water utility sector to meet this challenge affects us all. The result of the summit will be a blueprint for transforming the water sector sent to leaders of the water sector around the world.

A limited number of press passes are available to accredited journalists.
Press contact: rn@globalwaterintel.com