3 virtual Regional Finance Ministers' Meetings
Building on the previous SWA Finance Ministers’ Meetings, and adapting to these unexpected times, in 2020 SWA will organize three virtual Regional Finance Ministers’ Meetings (FMMs). These meetings will take place in November and December. The FMMs will be livestreamed and simultaneous translated in English, French and Spanish.
The SWA partnership has been convening regular High-level Meetings (HLMs) of ministers and other high-level representatives of SWA partners, since 2009, fostering an on-going high-level political dialogue. This dialogue is especially important now when governments need solutions to ensure water, sanitation and hygiene for all, including to improve economies, spare health systems, and protect populations from COVID-19 and future public health pandemics. Ministers of finance are critical decision-makers and leaders in creating and maintaining the links and partnerships necessary to effectively integrate water, sanitation and hygiene into the economic and health recovery needed to manage and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latin America and Caribbean
Wednesday, 18 November
Asia and the Pacific
Wednesday, 2 December
The FMMs will bring together ministers of Finance at the regional level with the objective of:
Developing and strengthening partnerships with finance ministers for smart investments in water, sanitation and hygiene.
These partnerships are especially important given the central role this sector can play in national economic and health recovery; delivering improved resilience, employment opportunities, health benefits, and access to innovative finance – allowing the country to build forward better.
This objective will be achieved by presenting evidence and practical experience of successful investments in the sector, and by fostering an active dialogue and partnership between ministers and leaders from development agencies, including development banks, bilateral and multilateral partners, civil society, private sector, research and learning, and UN agencies.
The meetings will be co-convened with two SWA global partners - UNICEF and the World Bank Water Global Practice - as well as key regional partners for each of the three regions, including regional development banks and organizations. For Africa, the African Development Bank and African Ministers' Council on Water. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Development Bank, and for Asia, the Asian Development Bank.
Co-conveners
Global co-conveners
Regional co-conveners
Water and Sanitation - How to make public investment work
A Handbook for Finance Ministers
The FMMs will also draw on examples from the Finance Handbook. The Handbook provides practical financing approaches to achieve the water, sanitation and hygiene targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The FMM lasting effect
The 2020 FMMs are part of, and contribute to, an ongoing cycle of activities jointly implemented by SWA partners. The discussions in each of the regions will be key for partners to build a closer and ongoing relationship with finance ministers at the national level.
They will also guide, and facilitate progress towards, the achievement of national and global commitments tabled under the Mutual Accountability Mechanism. The main conclusions and key messages of the Meetings will contribute to the ongoing SWA High-level Political Dialogue including the 2021 Sector Ministers’ Meeting.
The preparatory process
SWA partners will be engaged in a dedicated preparatory process to strengthen or catalyze in-country dialogue and action and prepare ministers of finance for their participation at the FMMs. The 2020 preparatory process will:
- Demonstrate and highlight the economic opportunities and benefits offered by the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in generating employment, contributing to a healthy workforce, strengthening social and economic development for all and GDP growth and protecting and preparing populations for climate change
- Mobilize political leaders to identify and agree on areas for SMART investments in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector during and after COVID-19,
- Develop and strengthen partnerships that support ministers responsible for finance, sanitation, water, hygiene and health to work together in achieving the necessary reforms, attracting additional resources and delivering at-scale services for all, especially for the marginalized and the vulnerable populations,
- Secure long-term engagement from participants and concrete results through the SWA Mutual Accountability Mechanism by tabling and reviewing SMART commitments made through government-led multi-stakeholder national planning processes to reach the desired water, sanitation, hygiene, health, and positive economic outcomes.
The primary output of the preparatory process will be a country summary document – the Country Overview - which synthesizes the economic opportunities in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector for economic; options for investments and economic and social development and commitments of government and partners to support national priorities.
The Country Overview will also be used as a briefing for the finance ministers who will attend the Meetings. Sector ministers will also use the Country Overview in inter-ministerial discussions with their counterparts responsible for finance, economic development and planning. The Country Overview should be an output of the national multi-stakeholder dialogue and can contribute to broader sector reviews such as joint sector reviews. Throughout the preparatory process, the Secretariat will organize a series of webinars to facilitate mobilization and sharing of experiences among partners.
For questions about the 2020 FMMs, please contact the SWA Secretariat.
COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT
Spread the word!
SWA has put together communication materials and messaging to help partners, actors in the sector, and outside the sector to use to amplify the messages around the urgency for increased financing for the sector, and around the SWA 2020 virtual Regional Finance Ministers’ Meetings.
Follow the 2020 FMMs on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
If you have any additional requests, please contact SWA Secretariat.
BLOG: How SWA Partners are preparing for 2020 Finance Ministers' Meetings
Our team is capturing updates from partners across all five SWA constituencies and all three regions and updating a dedicated blog on SWA's website.
Photos for editorial use
SWA Secretariat has compiled high-quality photos for editorial use by journalists. Photo credit must be given to UNICEF.
Illustrations and GIFs
Videos
Download Communication Toolkit
Join us in communicating around the water, sanitation and hygiene financing.
Webinars
Asia and the Pacific FMM: A Learning and Exchange Workshop on Finance Advocacy
SWA Civil Society Partners: A learning and Exchange Workshop on Finance Advocacy
Asia and the Pacific Final FMM preparatory webinar: Smart partnerships with Finance Ministers
Latin America and the Caribbean Final FMM preparatory webinar: Smart partnerships with finance ministers
Africa Final FMM preparatory webinar: Smart partnerships with Finance Ministers
Documents
View all Key documents| Key documents | Type |
|---|---|
| Agenda: SWA Latin America and the Caribbean Finance Ministers' Meeting | |
| Agenda: SWA Asia Finance Ministers' Meeting | |
| Agenda: SWA Africa Finance Ministers’ Meetings | |
| FMM 2020 - CSO Messages | |
| About the 2020 FMMs | |
| Launch of the Handbook for Finance Ministers and kick-off of the preparatory process for the Finance Ministers' Meeting | |
| Guidance Note: 2020 virtual Regional Finance Ministers' Meetings |
News
View all News & Stories
African ministers of finance meet virtually to agree investment in universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene
SWA Private Sector Constituency Open Letter to Finance Ministers
COVID-19 stresses the need to transform Africa’s water, sanitation and hygiene services sector
Are we ready for the FMMs?
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