“The Swiss Confederation is aware that quality water is a crucial element in ensuring sustainable and inclusive development, and it is part of our commitment to help ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and to promote policy changes at national and sub-national levels», stressed Markus-Alexander Antonietti, Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru.
The Swiss Confederation assumed the Water Committee Technical Secretariat through its cooperation agencies SDC and SECO, pledging to work in harmony with international cooperation agencies, and support the sector in fulfilling its commitments within the framework of Agenda 2030 and SDG 6 on Water and Sanitation.
The secretariat has held two meetings to date and identified issues of common interest where international cooperation agencies will support the sanitation sector for this to achieve the 2030 goals.
First meeting: 19 December, 2019
The meeting was held at the Swiss Embassy, and was for the purpose of learning about the progress made by the sector and submitting the issues which interest the Peruvian Government for 2020, in order to define a joint work agenda that will support the goals set.
Markus-Alexander Antonietti, Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru, welcomed the guests. In his speech he stressed that«Over 20 years ago, SDC began working in the A&S sector, with emphasis on rural contexts and on promoting technological and social innovations. Over time, our assistance has expanded and for some years now, Swiss Cooperation (SECO) has been supporting the A&S sector to improve service provider quality and sustainability in urban contexts». «This will help the sector achieve its goals and gear international cooperation towards water and sanitation priorities,»he said.
The Minister of Housing, Rodolfo Yáñez, said «As part of the government’s work and commitment to close social gaps faster, we recognize the important progress in the sector, so much so that since August 2016 to date the government has invested over 3,734 million Sols in drinking water, sewerage and waste-water treatment works in urban areas; while in rural areas, where there is the greatest shortage, government investment totals 11,215 million Sols».
The minister highlighted his sector’s two priority strategies: water chlorination, to increase the percentage of households with access to safe water in rural areas; and constructing and operating waste-water treatment plants, to prevent waste-water from ending up in rivers, lakes and the sea, affecting the health of the most vulnerable communities.
On closing the day, Martin Jaggi, Director of Swiss Cooperation (SDC), emphasized that it would be important to define at most two themes for the Water Group to promote, finding points of common interest. Inputs are expected in January 2020. The technical secretariat, which is led by Switzerland, will coordinate and look for the consulting services necessary for the priority issues.
Second meeting. 19 February, 2020
Following up on the agreements of the first meeting, the cooperation agencies that sit on the Water Committee identified potential issues that are in line with the sanitation sector’s priorities which they will support in 2020. The Group will focus on:
The new National Sanitation Plan and the Regional Sanitation Plans will develop a Concept Note to define the scope of support, coordinating with the MVCS Sanitation Department, other institutions and cooperation agencies that are working on this issue.
The National Sanitation Plan implements the National Sanitation Policy and the sector’s framework regulation, joining up and linking activities in the sanitation sector to achieve universal access to and coverage of sustainable and quality sanitation services in the next five years. It is also in line with the policies of the National Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the recommendations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports on corporate governance and national environmental policy.
Swiss Cooperation (SECO and SDC) will support Sanitation Services Assessment (SSA) in urban and rural areas and they will be part of the National Sanitation Plan.
Sanitation services assessment is established in the National Sanitation Policy. One of its Specific Objectives is “to develop a citizen culture of Sanitation Services Assessment, contemplated in Policy Axis 6: Sanitation Services Assessment, incorporated in the 2017 – 2021 National Sanitation Plan”.
The MVCS considers that SSA contributes to government and good governance and is also a necessary condition for guaranteeing their sustainability and continuity.
Related articles:
06.11.2019. [Access to water and sanitation] Swiss Confederation commitment through its SDC and SECO agencies
19.12.2019. [Harmonization and Alignment] Experience, collaboration and work. The First Meeting of the International Cooperation Water Group ratifies commitments
For further information:
Fact sheet Water Group
Links of interest:
Water for Swiss Cooperation (PDF)
Fact sheet Global Water Programme (PDF)
Global Brief. Water and sanitation: how to replicate a successful model (PDF)
Brochure: Global Water Programme SDC (PDF)
Brochure: Global Water Programme, Strategic Framework 2017 – 2020 (PDF)
National Sanitation Plan 2017-2021 (PDF)
