From March 17 to 24, 2018, a delegation of the African Water Association (AfWA) led by the Executive Director, Mr. Sylvain USHER, including the RASOP-Africa Coordinator, Mr. Ives KENGNE and the Marketing Manager, Mr. Aimé DIGBEU attended in Brasilia the 8th World Water Forum, one of the largest international meetings in the world to discuss water issues and suggest solutions for a rational and sustainable use of water resources. The theme of the forum was "Sharing Water". About 70,000 participants took part in this meeting.

Various topics were discussed at the forum among others: water sharing in Africa, wastewater reuse from an integrated resource management perspective, healthy cities, etc.

The World Water Forum was also an opportunity to showcase AfWA... 

In fact, the organization held a parallel session on the theme "Role of private operators in the implementation of Goal 6 of the SDGs". The aim was to show how AfWA contributes to the empowerment of African private and public operators in the WASH area for a better achievement of SDG 6. Facilitated by the Executive Director of AfWA, Mr. Sylvain USHER, the session began with the presentation of the RASOP-Africa program’s approach and results. During this session, emphasis was laid on empowering private pit emptiers, building capacity of cities / utilities to be able to secure funds for inclusive sanitation. Mr. USHER also outlined the benefits AfWA gains from implementing this peer-to-peer exchange and learning framework. Following the Executive Director, a panel discussion composed of Prof. KENGNE, Mr. Ibra SOW, President of the Association of Sanitation Actors of Senegal (AAAS), Mr. Georges Adjedjoye BADA, Mayor of Abomey-Calavi, Benin and Mr. Mouhamadou GUEYE, Director of the SMBV Sludge Market Structuring Program, ONAS-Senegal was organized. The President of the Association of Sanitation Actors of Senegal seized the opportunity to inform the public about the role, challenges and advantages of an association for private emptiers. As for Mr. Adjedjoye, he shared a municipality’s vision for the provision of water and sanitation services and the role that private operators could play, particularly in a context of decentralization in most African countries. Mr. Mouhamadou GUEYE spoke about the work done in Senegal within the PSMBV and how it contributes to the achievement of the SDG 6. Questions from the public helped to better understand the RASOP-Africa program and enabled other panel members to clarify their points of view.