3rd IWA Development Congress and Exhibition 2013

What we know is that we need to rethink the way we provide sanitation services to the billions of people who currently lack access and the many more who will join the planet in the years ahead. We need to empower and mandate utilities to be at the forefront of providing services to urban citizens, with a particular emphasis on the poor. We need to foster a broader understanding of urban water management that considers catchment wide interactions between stakeholders and the opportunities for green infrastructure and services need to be orientated to the growing demands of consumers that reflect local circumstances and engages with communities in a participatory manner.

Given that there remain significantly large populations that are not served with reliably safe drinking water or adequate sanitation services, the solutions required need to be applicable and effective at scale; and in implementing a portfolio of these solutions, the whole needs to be greater than the sum of its parts. Getting there requires innovation, meaningful cooperation amongst stakeholders and a truly integrated approach that serves the entire water cycle.

The overarching goal of IWA’s Development Congress series is to identify, showcase and debate practical experiences and examples of service provision in developing countries that ‘work’, and critically, ‘work at large scale’. The Congress is therefore explicitly solutions focused, rather than diagnosing the challenges and problems in the sector, which are already well documented.

Within this framework, the themes and topics of the Congress are relevant to the arena in which most progress in terms of coverage and implementation solutions must be made: urban service provision in low and middle income countries. The overarching theme for the 2013 Development Congress and Exhibition is Catalysing Urban Water Transitions.

The following is a selection of key themes for which we are particularly seeking contributions. However, submissions on any topic in the fields of water, wastewater or stormwater treatment and management in low and middle income countries will be considered. In line with IWA’s commitment to supporting young water professionals and women leaders, submissions from these demographics are welcomed and encouraged. More detailed keywords and topics for each theme are available on the Congress website to help find the appropriate theme for your paper and facilitate matching it with appropriate reviewers.

If you are looking for marketing opportunities for 2013, the International Water Association (IWA) invites you to join 800 of your colleagues from around the world, including researchers, practitioners, policy makers, consultants, manufacturers and members of the international development community at the IWA Development Exhibition in Nairobi, Kenya. This is a unique opportunity for you to spotlight your company/organization’s capabilities in an exclusive environment over three days to hundreds of water professionals for the low and middle income countries.

Held in conjunction with the biennial IWA Development Congress, this is a high-profile international event that facilitates to develop and help set the research and practice agenda for water and sanitation services internationally.

To date, the IWA Development Congress and Exhibition has been held in Mexico in 2009 and Kuala Lumpur in 2011. Based on past attendances, IWA expects 800 delegates. For the Exhibition, there will be several knowledge institutes and other organizations involved in the development of clean, safe drinking water and sanitation services.

Optimising service delivery for universal access
Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of water and wastewater utilities is the dual challenge in ensuring universal access.

Beyond the front-lines of urban sanitation
With universal access to sanitation trailing far behind set targets, we urgently need to break new ground in the provision of sanitation solutions.

Optimizing resources along the water, food and energy nexus
The need to optimise resource allocation and recovery is pressing in many cities, which are increasingly water constrained and compete for water with surrounding agriculture producers, energy providers, and environmental benefits.

Human resources and capacities for transition
Understanding and responding to the human resource capacity requirements to meet water and sanitation development targets is a critical step in working towards sustainability in the sector.

The congress will run from 14 till 17 October 2013. The exhibition will be opened from 15 to 17 October 2013.

Into the third installation, the previous 2 congresses saw a healthy increase from 16 exhibitors during the 2009 inaugural event in Mexico to 50 exhibitors at the 2011 Kuala Lumpur exhibition.

Based on our experiences from the last 2 exhibitions, exhibitors at the 3rd IWA Development Congress & Exhibition in Nairobi will be drawn from the following sectors;

• Water & wastewater utilities
• Knowledge & research institutions
• Technology/product manufacturers
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Consultants
• International organizations
• Media

•  All catering functions will be served in the Exhibition hall
•  Country Pavilions

The Organisers expect some 800 delegates from the water and sanitation sector in low-and-middle income countries. In addition to the Congress delegates, the exhibition will also be opened to local, regional and international trade visitors.

Visitors Organisation Type/ Role:

•  Academics
•  Practitioners - Utility Managers and Consultants
•  NGOs
•  Governments
•  International Organisations
•  Financiers

• Academics
• Practitioners – utility managers and consultants
• NGOs
• Governments
• International organizations
• Financiers

• You will be joining the world’s leading institutions, companies and other organisations involved in the development of clean, safe drinking water and sanitation services.
• It is an unique opportunity to be in contact with more than 800 delegates & visitors drawn from various organisations working across all aspects of the water cycle, from many different countries across the globe.
• Exhibiting at the world’s premier development water event will spotlight your company as a leader in the sector.
• The event will focus on technologies, innovations and solutions to challenges faced in the delivery of water supply and wastewater services to low-and-middle income countries.
• There will be a wide range of networking opportunities.
• All exhibitors will be housed in one hall where coffee & lunch breaks will take place.
• The congress and exhibition will have international media support and coverage.
• Specially-tailored sponsorship opportunities are also available for exhibitors.
• Be a part of an inspiring event that will take place in an exotic destination - Kenya.
• Organised by IWA, a trusted professional association with an excellent reputation and track record of delivering previous high-profile international events in various cities of the world