Public-Private Partnerships: Investments, Public Works Tax Deduction, and Social Responsibility are essential in water and sanitation
Public-private partnerships in the water and sanitation sector contribute to progress towards the goal of ensuring universal access to adequate water and sanitation services within the framework of the 2030 Agenda and in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals.
On March 14, the workshop “Public-Private Partnership in Water and Sanitation with the Public Sector” was held. The workshop was promoted by the Swiss Cooperation (SDC), through its SABA+ Project. This made it possible to look back on the work performed in recent months through this platform, articulating the public and private sectors with the aim of stimulating investment through the Public Works Tax Deduction, which is very important to close the gaps in water and sanitation.
It was a good opportunity to present the pilot projects that are being worked on and the recommendations of SABA’s technical team, who have conducted field visits to the communities of the companies Buenaventura, Milpo, Southern Peaks, and Hudbay.
The participants of the workshop were officials from Proinversión, the National Superintendence of Sanitation Services (SUNASS), the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the National Rural Sanitation Program (PNSR), the Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation (MVCS), the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS), and representatives from Buenaventura, MINSUR S.A., Empresa Minera Los Quenuales, Rio Blanco Copper SA, Tahoe Peru, Crovisa, and GoldFields. There were also representatives of the Swiss Cooperation (SDC), members of the SABA team, Fundación Cordón del Plata, MSH Peru, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Ministry of Housing, City and Territory of Colombia, High Post-Conflict Board [Alta Consejería Post-Conflicto], and Territory Renewal Agency (Colombia), who participated in the meeting via conference call.
Let us learn firsthand from the stakeholders themselves why it is important to commit to this type of public-private partnerships in water and sanitation.
Sonia Osay Fundación Condón de Plata |
César Fonseca 2030 Water Resources Group |
José Olaechea Compañía Minera Buenaventura |
Alberto Rubina MINSUR |
Edgard Medina MSH Perú |
In the last quarter of 2018, as part of the SDC’s SABA+ project, three workshops were promoted to encourage private sector investment in water and sanitation projects by means of the Public Works Tax Deduction. Therefore, the first workshop held with the private sector sought to transfer the knowledge and lessons learned from the SABA team, as well as the proposal for a public-private partnership. This space was conducive to gather the demands of the private sector in terms of the characteristics of water and sanitation projects under the Public Works Tax Deduction mechanism.
The objective of the second workshop with the public sector was to convey the challenges of the private sector, the sustainability of investment, political instability, the red tape, and the difficulties in setting up the Sanitation Services Management Board [JASS, after its acronym in Spanish) in water and sanitation projects in rural populations. As a result, it was agreed that a declaration of intent was to be signed between the Swiss Cooperation, Fundación Cordón del Plata as facilitator, and the relevant government entity.
Finally, the third workshop brought together representatives of both sectors, who exchanged their perspectives on the Public Works Tax Deduction mechanism, in order to join efforts in the implementation of rural water and sanitation projects. On this basis, SDC proposed three pilot projects in rural water and sanitation with mining companies using the SABA methodology, group workshops to show progress, and to include the demand of the different entities. An important aspect of this workshop is the signing of the Declaration of Intent by government agencies (PROINVERSION and PNSR) to support advocacy with local governments to improve coordination with mining companies.
Relevant documents:
Presentation by Sonia Osay, Fundación Cordón del Plata Director- Presentation by SUNASS
- Presentation by Cesarina Quintana, Senior National Program Officer, SDC
- Presentation by MVCS National Rural Sanitation Program
- Presentation by Minera Buenaventura
- Presentation by Herberth Pacheco, SABA Team National Coordinator, Actions with companies
Click on this link to see the photo gallery.
Related links:
SABA+ Project, Project sheet, Swiss Embassy, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)