Major Group: Business & Industry
Thank you Mr Chairman,
My name is Jack Moss, speaking on behalf of business and industry groups represented here at CSD16.
Yesterday my colleague made three points on behalf of business:
- First: Access to water & sanitation is important for health, dignity, education, protection of the
environment but also for economic development.
- Second: The need for Acceleration and More Ambition
- Third: The importance of sanitation and the concept of Integrated Sanitation Management
I would like to confirm these points and stress that business and industry is willing to make its contribution.
Businesses of all kinds are already making a bigger contribution to meeting sanitation and water
challenges than people recognise.
Businesses of all sizes are already significant investors in water, wastewater and sanitation. They are
making their contribution at local and at regional level, often in conjunction with public authorities, who
they recognise must usually give the lead.
Businesses are part of society not apart from it. Business should be seen as part of the solution and its
ability to provide technology, know-how, services, support as well as finance should be recognised and
utilised.
Preconditions for success in delivering water and sanitation services are mostly the same for
public and for private service operators. They must be provided in all countries.
To a very large extent public sector and private sector service operators suffer from exactly the same
problems in implementing public water policies: unrealistic economics, unsustainable cost-recovery,
inconsistent planning, absence of long-term targets, low levels of political support, etc. These are the
problems that should be resolved. The formal discussions that take place in the development community
about the conditions necessary to improve the levels of participation and investment by the private sector
have the benefit of drawing attention to many of the institutional and governance issues that affect the
whole water and sanitation sector. Overcoming these institutional hurdles benefits the whole sector.
Money is not the principal problem. What is required is political determination, focussed planning, human
capacity and competence, supported with financial resources. Politicians at the appropriate level must
take the lead in this. Where they do, experience has shown that individuals, communities, labour, the
business and financial sectors are all ready and able to make a meaningful contribution. To do this they
require stable conditions that are predictable over the long term.
People need water services that are delivered efficiently, with good quality and reliability. This means that
services irrespective of who delivers them need to be provided under conditions of clear political policies
with transparency, accountability and integrity.
Thank You
My name is Jack Moss, speaking on behalf of business and industry groups represented here at CSD16.
Yesterday my colleague made three points on behalf of business:
- First: Access to water & sanitation is important for health, dignity, education, protection of the
environment but also for economic development.
- Second: The need for Acceleration and More Ambition
- Third: The importance of sanitation and the concept of Integrated Sanitation Management
I would like to confirm these points and stress that business and industry is willing to make its contribution.
Businesses of all kinds are already making a bigger contribution to meeting sanitation and water
challenges than people recognise.
Businesses of all sizes are already significant investors in water, wastewater and sanitation. They are
making their contribution at local and at regional level, often in conjunction with public authorities, who
they recognise must usually give the lead.
Businesses are part of society not apart from it. Business should be seen as part of the solution and its
ability to provide technology, know-how, services, support as well as finance should be recognised and
utilised.
Preconditions for success in delivering water and sanitation services are mostly the same for
public and for private service operators. They must be provided in all countries.
To a very large extent public sector and private sector service operators suffer from exactly the same
problems in implementing public water policies: unrealistic economics, unsustainable cost-recovery,
inconsistent planning, absence of long-term targets, low levels of political support, etc. These are the
problems that should be resolved. The formal discussions that take place in the development community
about the conditions necessary to improve the levels of participation and investment by the private sector
have the benefit of drawing attention to many of the institutional and governance issues that affect the
whole water and sanitation sector. Overcoming these institutional hurdles benefits the whole sector.
Money is not the principal problem. What is required is political determination, focussed planning, human
capacity and competence, supported with financial resources. Politicians at the appropriate level must
take the lead in this. Where they do, experience has shown that individuals, communities, labour, the
business and financial sectors are all ready and able to make a meaningful contribution. To do this they
require stable conditions that are predictable over the long term.
People need water services that are delivered efficiently, with good quality and reliability. This means that
services irrespective of who delivers them need to be provided under conditions of clear political policies
with transparency, accountability and integrity.
Thank You