Blue Deal

🌍 We are delighted to share the after movie of the African Blue Deal Regional Meeting in July 2024. Seven Blue Deal countries joined forces in Mombasa, Kenya, and shared experiences, challenges and best practices on Sustainable Financing of Integrated Water Resources Management.  ☀ The movie provides an energetic impression of the week, where invaluable insights were gained during workshops, interactive sessions, plenary discussions, break-out groups and a field visit. 👉 Read the news article on https://lnkd.in/em7abMSB We express our gratitude to the partners that were present for their contributions. Thanks again for organising and for making this successful event possible Carel Nobbe Jaap Bos Kamuyu Muturi Liesbeth Wilschut Tanah Meijers @Caroline smits Michelle Otieno Peter de Koning Marga Oosterveld Enfani SABI Nienke Swagemakers Rosanne Meilink. And we thank the experts of The Nature Conservancy Guy Robertson (PrEng, PMP), Global Water Partnership George Sanga and VNGinternational Michelle van Raalte. Thanks Barry Annes for making this video. #BlueDeal #BlueDealfamily #water #waterpricing #waterfinancing #IWRM #naturebasedsolutions #sustainablefinancing #VNGi #TNC #GWP #N4W #IenW #BuZa  

During #WorldWaterWeek, The Nature Conservancy, Nature for Water, WaterWorX, Blue Deal, and NWB Fonds brought finance, nature and water community together to talk about the scaling of #GreenInfrastructure and #NatureBasedSolutions (NbS) for water security. 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 The water security of cities, businesses and farmers is challenged by too much, too little and too dirty water. Nature conservation and restoration by water authorities and water utilities is critical to manage and secure the water resources for all. 50 thought leaders and experts gathered on a boat to experience Stockholm from the water. Together, we exchanged strategies on how to scale NbS and anchor these projects in public water institutions. 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Luzette Kroon opened the floor and explained how The Nature Conservancy, Nature4Water, WaterWorX, Blue Deal and the NWB Fund teamed up to build capacity among water utilities and water authorities to design, finance and implement climate-resilient watershed investments. From her daily work as the chair of a Dutch water authority she understands and stressed the urgent need to scale green infrastructure and NbS to ensure safe and enough water. Meike van Ginneken, the Dutch water envoy, advocated for a sector-wide approach and to bring all stakeholders on board to scale green infrastructure. The current project approach makes it too fragmented and not sustainable. Daniel Shemie, The Nature Conservancy Fresh Water director, indicated that successful NbS depend very much on champions in the local water authority and utility. Dedicated and willing experts in the public sector make a difference and can scale NbS. Peter Szappanos, water expert within the European Investment Bank, brought in the importance of advocacy for NbS. There is some reluctance for these kind of investments, both from the investment banks as from the project promoters. Understanding and knowledge about the effectiveness of NbS is lacking.   𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 The cooperation is open to all. Do you want to know more and be part of the movement to develop, finance and manage NbS by water utilities and water authorities? Let us know and send a direct message to info@bluedeal.nl.    SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute, European Investment Bank (EIB), Agence Française de Développement, Laurent Raspaud, WWF, ADB Water, Tanya Huizer, Arnaud de Vanssay, KfW, Jopy Willems, Maarten Gischler, Eva Schreuder, Todd Gartner, Daniel Nordmann, Valentin Post, Conrad Steinhilber, Zhimin Mao, Åsa Johansen, Sophie Trémolet, Robert Proos, Willem Mak, Toine Ramaker, Anke Verheij, Marion Wierda, Piebe Hoeksma, Liesbeth Wilschut, Naomi NOEL, Brooke Atwell, Frodo Van Oostveen, Marieke van Nood, Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance/UN-Habitat (GWOPA)

🌍 The second African Blue Deal Regional Meeting is a fact. 💧 7 Blue Deal countries joined forces in Mombasa, Kenya from 7-12 July 2024 and shared experiences, challenges and best practices on Sustainable Financing of #IWRM. We are thankful for the invaluable contributions of the participants from Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, the Netherlands and South Africa, the Global Water Partnership, TNC N4W as well as VNGi. 💦 During workshops, panel discussions, break-out groups and a field visit, in-depth conversations were held on water pricing, financing IWRM and nature-based solutions; in what way can each partner enhance its strategies and overcome challenges on these topics? ☀ We look forward to continuing the outcomes of the Regional Meeting in the weeks and months to come. ❤️ With special thanks for making this successful event possible Carel Nobbe Jaap Bos @Simon Muturi Liesbeth Wilschut Tanah Meijers @Caroline smits Michelle Otieno Peter de Koning Marga Oosterveld Enfani SABI Nienke Swagemakers Rosanne Meilink and thank you for joining us with your expertise, The Nature Conservancy (Guy Robertson (PrEng, PMP)) Global Water Partnership (George Sanga) and VNGi (Michelle van Raalte) #BlueDeal #BlueDealfamily #water #waterpricing #waterfinancing #IWRM #naturebasedsolutions #VNGi #TNC #GWP #N4W #IenW #BuZa

What a great initiative! Global Center on Adaptation organises the Local Adaptation Champions Awards. There's also a category on Water Security, so we'd love to see some of our partners apply.

(𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘪-𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘯ç𝘢𝘪𝘴) Yesterday our Blue Deal partnership Mali kicked off a knowledge-sharing week in the Netherlands. We are very happy with this re-start of the partnership! 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Together, Agence Nationale de Gestion des Stations d’Epuration du Mali (ANGESEM), SNV, the Embassy of Mali and Dutch Water Authorities will work on improving wastewater management in Mali. As was stressed during the meeting in Amersfoort today, one of the core strengths of the Blue Deal programme is its long-term commitment. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 The coming week in the Netherlands is about the new team getting to know each other, and most of all, sharing knowledge on water treatment and water governance. The week includes visits to laboratories and wastewater treatment plants. Everyone is full of energy to make this partnership a success, full of long-lasting results!   #SDG6 Thanks to Paul van Koppen, Lithvine Rosine TCHEMEU, Jeanette de Regt, Rianne van Dorp, Jan Den Besten, Dirk Koot, Liesbeth Wilschut, Tom Streng, Moumouni DAMANGO, and many others. -- Hier, notre partenariat Mali a lancé une semaine de partage des connaissances aux Pays-Bas. Nous sommes très heureux de cette reprise du partenariat. Ensemble, l'ANGESEM, la SNV, l'Ambassade du Mali et les autorités néerlandaises de l'eau travailleront à l'amélioration de la gestion des eaux usées au Mali. Comme cela a été souligné lors de la réunion d’Amersfoort, l’un des principaux atouts du programme Blue Deal réside dans son engagement à long terme. La semaine à venir aux Pays-Bas sera consacrée à la nouvelle équipe qui fera connaissance et, surtout, partagera ses connaissances sur le traitement de l'eau et la gouvernance de l'eau. La semaine comprend des visites de laboratoires et de stations d'épuration. Tout le monde est plein d’énergie pour faire de ce partenariat une réussite, pleine de résultats durables !

🌊 We look back at a very successful World Water Forum! 💦 Luzette Kroon, Chair of the Blue Deal Steering Committee: “During the World Water Forum, the Netherlands was able to convey the necessity of joint action. Droughts, extreme rainfall, and water pollution pose significant challenges worldwide. We have positioned ourselves with the Blue Deal programme, as a strong partner to address international water challenges.” “We discussed the importance of cooperation across the entire water (supply) chain and sustainable financing for operation and maintenance. During various sessions, we also emphasised the importance of preventing pollution at the source, local implementation, and the execution of the Water Action Agenda (the outcome of the UN Water Conference last year). I look back at a successful forum.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gPDHqNmB Piebe Hoeksma Rachel Nasierkhan Unie van Waterschappen (Dutch Water Authorities) Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat

🌍 What works and what doesn’t work in water governance? 💧 Very proud to announce that one of the Blue Deal’s solutions is in the OECD - OCDE Handbook of What Works. This handbook is all about actionable solutions for improving water governance. Today, at the World Water Forum in Indonesia this handbook was presented. Luzette Kroon, chair of the Blue Deal steering committee, was one of the speakers for this session. Check out #52 about monitoring the progress in water governance! Great job, Liesbeth Wilschut, Thomas van der Vliet, Piebe Hoeksma and Peter Hollanders! Read the handbook: https://lnkd.in/g8acWctM #water #governance #WorldWaterForum10 #SDG6

🌍 Join us at the World Water Forum! 🌍 From 18 to 25 May, you can find the Blue Deal at the World Water Forum (WWF) in Indonesia. Luzette Kroon represents our delegation. She aligns her agenda with Meike van Ginneken, the Dutch water envoy. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞? During the WWF, we emphasise the importance of: 📢 Collaboration within the entire water (supply) chain. To achieve SDG6, partners from the entire water sector in a specific catchment area must work together to address the broader interests of water. Local service providers, such as utilities, water authorities, and municipalities, play a crucial role in this. Therefore, it is essential that their technical, organisational, and financial capacities are in order. 📢 Long-term cooperation and sustainable financing for operation and maintenance. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦? We will be participating in sessions organised by the OECD - OCDE, The Nature Conservancy, UNESCO, The Water Footprint Implementation, and the High-Level Panel Navigating the Source-to-Sea Journey. Additionally, the delegation will engage in discussions with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). We will also formalise the cooperation 'climate-resilient-watershed investments' between The Nature Conservancy, Nature for Water, WaterWorX, and NWB Fonds. 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐩? Are you also attending and want to meet up? Let us know! Send an email to info@bluedeal.nl. #WorldWaterForum #BlueDeal #WaterManagement #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #Collaboration 10th World Water Forum Piebe Hoeksma Rachel Nasierkhan Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat

Join the launch of the cooperation 'climate-resilient-watershed investments' between The Nature Conservancy, Nature for Water, Blue Deal, WaterWorX, NWB Fonds at the World Water Forum in Bali. 🍾 have a drink to celebrate and be part of the dialogue 🌳 🌊 The cooperation aims to develop and finance climate-resilient-watershed investments 🛠 the cooperation makes Nature-based Solutions expertise available to water authorities and water utilities 💰 the cooperation aims to mobilises finance to implement climate-resilient watershed investments by and with water authorities and water utilities #SDG6 Naomi NOEL Erik Spiro Justus Raepple Brooke Atwell Luzette Kroon Piebe Hoeksma Liesbeth Wilschut Nienke Swagemakers Adriaan Mels Mireia Tutusaus Toine Ramaker Anke Verheij Thomas de Jong Marion Wierda Bert van Boggelen Frodo Van Oostveen Harmke Berghuis Kees van der Lugt Marieke van Nood Antoon Blokland Gritta Nottelman

Parts of Eastern Africa are being hit by floods caused by heavy rainfall. Unfortunately, this has already claimed many lives. This includes Kenya, where the Blue Deal has a partnership. We want to offer our support to our members of the Blue Deal family in Kenya. 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 The situation underscores the importance of water safety. Our partner Water Resources Authority (WRA) is busy marking the flood line of various rivers in Nairobi and other affected areas, including the Tana Basin, where the Blue Deal is also active. WRA is also involved in evacuating people from these river zones and dams are being inspected. 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 Our colleague Peter de Koning, partnership manager of the Blue Deal Kenya, has initiated a fundraising campaign for emergency relief. As Blue Deal, we endorse this effort. Please refer to his LinkedIn post below for more information. We wish our Kenyan colleagues strength in these challenging times. 💙 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gtAPvzdN