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ADB-DMC Sanitation Dialogue
Meeting Report
ADB organized a dialogue with its Developing Member Countries (DMCs) to enable them to define their sanitation priorities and investment opportunities.
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Event Details
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- Date: 3-5 March 2009
- Venue: Manila, Philippines
- Contact: Marc Ebarvia
- Related materials:
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The ADB-DMC Sanitation Dialogue brought together more than 100 national and local government officials from 17 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Discussions focused on environmental and socioeconomic issues, especially public health risks associated with poor sanitation, on technological and financing options, and private sector participation. ADB’s partner organizations, such as the World Toilet Organization, the International Water Association, UN Habitat, and others also attended.
Together with ADB staff, the government officials discussed sanitation needs, barriers, options, and actions needed. At the end of the conference, individual country delegations produced a list of activities that would lead to increasing their sanitation coverage and investments. Read the country outputs.
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Based on the country presentations, the participants identified the following areas where technical assistance and knowledge are needed, and could be the focus of future in-country activities
- Institutions and policies: development of national sanitation law and/or strategy and plan; capacity building for institutions involved in sanitation services; development of institutional bases and coordinating mechanism; political champion
- Technology options: ranging from low cost to high cost systems, and from decentralized to centralized systems; corresponding costs of each option and applicability; replication of proven technology and working models
- Financing options: access to affordable financing sources; setting in place cost recovery mechanisms, including appropriate level of tariffs; incentives and other revenue-generating mechanism; engaging and promoting private sector participation
- Information, education, and communication: development of advocacy and communication plan; implementation of activities to promote community awareness, participation, and behavior change; mobilizing various sectors to be active partners
- Economics of sanitation: sustainability and viability of sanitation facilities and services, focusing on social, economic, and environmental benefits
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To sustain the momentum generated by the dialogue, the following actions were recommended
- Inclusion of the sanitation agenda in ADB’s Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) missions. Review the schedule of CPS mission, and endorse the inclusion of sanitation in the CPS mission agenda, including a list of potential activities and proposed timetable.
- Follow-up in country events. In-country dialogues and conferences can provide venues for knowledge sharing, action planning, and identification of opportunities and/or actual projects. Workshops on specific focus areas can also be organized to develop capacity and enhance project implementation capability, while visits to demonstration sites/working models can provide learning opportunities.
- Leadership seminars. Direct involvement of political leaders or champions can help establish institutional bases, promote the adoption of policies and laws, raise budget allocation, and develop institutional arrangements, including coordinating mechanisms. Leadership seminars can be done either per country or per region, and can be co-organized with partner agencies.
- Identification of potential projects. Some countries have identified investment opportunities and will work with ADB staff to advance these initiatives.
- Dissemination of knowledge products. Knowledge products, such as case studies, toolkits, and videos, among others will be widely disseminated to raise awareness and understand solution options.
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