To mark World Water Day, 22 March 2011, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed an agreement making it easier for the U.S. Government and World Bank to work together to address global water challenges.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9b1k21lLCk]
While the Bank and the U.S. have partnered before on water issues, this provides the World Bank access to experts in 17 U.S. government agencies and departments to address issues such as lack of safe drinking water and sanitation, diminishing aquifers, drought, flooding, and climate change impacts.
Read the full text of the MoU
The signing was preceded by presentations by Steve Hilton of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, who announced a US$ 50-million pledge for water projects, and Jeff Seabright, Vice President of Coca Cola, who announced a US$ $6 million pledge for water and sanitation projects.
Published on: 15/04/2011
To mark World Water Day, 22 March 2011, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed an agreement making it easier for the U.S. Government and World Bank to work together to address global water challenges.
While the Bank and the U.S. have partnered before on water issues, this provides the World Bank access to experts in 17 U.S. government agencies and departments to address issues such as lack of safe drinking water and sanitation, diminishing aquifers, drought, flooding, and climate change impacts.
Read the full text of the MoU
The signing was preceded by presentations by Steve Hilton of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, who announced a US$ 50-million pledge for water projects, and Jeff Seabright, Vice President of Coca Cola, who announced a US$ $6 million pledge for water and sanitation projects.
Also participating the Bank event were other CSO leaders in the US, and at a video-linked UN Water conference in Cape Town, South Africa, where they were joined by His Royal Highness Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, South African Environment and Water Minister Edna Molewa, and Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
The US$ 50 million funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation will benefit over one million people in sub-Saharan Africa, India and Mexico. The focus of the five-year programme will be on providing access to sustainable safe water; increased advocacy and capacity; and expanding knowledge on global water best practices for communities, governments, NGOs and donors.
Coca Cola
The Coca-Cola Company and The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation will spend US$ 6 million on water and sanitation partnerships aimed at improving the lives of an estimated 250,000 women and girls in African countries including Algeria, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda. In addition, in 2011, Coca Cola's RAIN programme will continue to support multi-year initiatives being implemented through the Water and Development Alliance (WADA), The Coca-Cola Company's partnership with USAID in Angola, Burundi, Egypt, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Source: World Bank, 22 Mar 2011 ; Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, 22 Mar 2011 ; Coca Cola, 22 Mar 2011
