CARIBBEAN-Caribbean ministers adopt the Declaration of Georgetown.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Caribbean ministers responsible for water resources have endorsed the Declaration of Georgetown, which they say is a pivotal step towards ensuring water security and universal access to water and sanitation across the region.

The declaration was adopted at the ongoing 32nd annual Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) Conference and Exhibition. It underscored a commitment to revamp the governance, legal, and institutional frameworks of the water sector.

Guyana’s Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, during the CWWA, which ends on Friday, unveiled a strategic partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to spearhead the preparation of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) application.

He said this transformative initiative aims to fortify the resilience of the Caribbean water sector, opening avenues for funding to tackle pressing issues.

“There is an opportunity for governments across the Caribbean or even entities across the Caribbean to access funding from both or either agency to address this issue.”

The Georgetown Declaration further asserts the potential for Caribbean water utilities to secure climate financing for projects targeting greenhouse gas emissions reduction through non-revenue water (NRW) reduction and wastewater treatment.

Moreover, the IDB and CDB have pledged support for water utilities in devising plans to enhance wastewater treatment coverage within seven years while swiftly reducing non-revenue water losses to optimal levels.

Croal also lauded the CWWA’s commitment to capacity building in the Caribbean water and sanitation sector through the CWWA Research and Education Foundation.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Public Utilities, Marvin Gonzalves, reflecting on water and sanitation progress in the region, cited a substantial agreement between Port of Spain and the IDB amounting to US$315 million.

“We now have access to financing from the IDB,” he said, expressing a commitment to fortify alliances across the Caribbean to advance the water agenda.

Suriname’s Public Works Minister, Riad Nurmohamed, underscored the sensitivity of freshwater for human consumption, highlighting the forum as a platform for collaborative knowledge-sharing and solution identification.

The conference is being held under the theme “Accelerating Change in the Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste Sectors.”