Mid-Term Review of the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) Strategy, 2020-2024 (2023/7)

The Global Water Operators’ Partnership Alliance (GWOPA) is an initiative of UN-Habitat with the aim to promote and support effective water operators’ partnerships (WOPs)1 to strengthen water and sanitation utilities. Formally set up in 2009, GWOPA is a membership-based global solidarity network with 129 institutional members by May 2023. The Secretariat is currently implementing GWOPA’s second 5-year strategy (2020-2024), for which it receives core funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, totaling to 5.75 million Euros for the fiveyear implementation period.

Mid-Term Review of the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) Strategy, 2020-2024 evaluation report highlights that in terms of strategy direction, GWOPA's strategy remains relevant to current global water and sanitation challenges and aligns with major international frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there is a need to better document members' needs, particularly in fundraising for Water Operators' Partnerships (WOPs) worldwide. The strategy is in coherence with existing and emerging programs in the field of water and sanitation operator capacity building, but GWOPA's approach to leveraging partnerships can be strengthened.