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The World Bank Group

Business World (BPC)
The Business World website provides an introduction to the array of activities by the World Bank Group's private sector arms...

Business Partners for Development (BPD)
BPD is an informal global network of businesses, civil society organizations and relevant government ministries, with the World Bank Group as an equal partner. BPD aims to produce solid evidence of the positive impact of tri-sector partnerships.

International Finance Corporation (IFC)
IFC is the largest multilateral source of loan and equity financing for private sector projects in the developing world. IFC finances and provides advice for private sector ventures and projects in developing countries in partnership with private investors and, through its advisory work, helps governments create conditions that stimulate the flow of both domestic and foreign private savings and investment. Its particular focus is to promote economic development by encouraging the growth of productive enterprise and efficient capital markets in its member countries.

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency's (MIGA) IPANet
IPAnet has emerged as the most comprehensive information service on the World Wide Web for investors looking for opportunities in developing countries. IPAnet is an on-line information clearinghouse, providing easy desktop access to investment opportunities, sources of finance, laws and regulations governing investments, and lists of key players in international investment.

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency' (MIGA) Privatization Link
Privatization Link is an on-line information service providing investment opportunities arising out of the divestiture of state-owned enterprises in developing countries and economies in transition.

Procurement Policy and Services Group
The average annual lending commitments from IBRD and IDA of $20 billion to $25 billion generate upward of $50 billion a year in total project investments worldwide. Recipient countries use these funds to purchase goods and equipment, construct civil works, and obtain consultant services needed for projects. Each project can involve many separate contracts and business opportunities for suppliers, contractors, and consultants worldwide. Some 40,000 contracts are awarded each year to private firms. This site serves as a point of information for procurement policy, business opportunities and bidding documents.

Rapid Response
Rapid Response provides access to knowledge resources on investment climate and privatization policy issues - through a quality-assured database of papers, case studies and web sites, a discussion board on hot policy topics, and a free helpdesk for straightforward requests. In addition, the site offers fee-based tailored information packages and advisory services for transactions requiring up to 5 days of expert time.

Urban Development and Local Government in the World Bank
The World Bank is committed to promoting sustainable cities that fulfill the promise of development for their inhabitants –in particular by delivering upward mobility for the poor—while contributing to the economic progress of countries as a whole.

Water Media Network
An initiative to promote dialogue among journalists and promote coverage of water issues.

The World Bank Institute (formerly Economic Development Institute of the World Bank) provides training and other learning activities that support the World Bank's mission to reduce poverty and improve living standards in the developing world. The Institute's programs help build the capacity of World Bank borrowers, staff, and other partners in the skills and knowledge that are critical to economic and social development.
Note: Many of the above sites plus additional services can be found on the World Bank's For Businesses section.

Water and Development Organizations

The 3rd World Water Forum
Kyoto, Japan, March 16 - 23, 2003. Find the latest information regarding this forum, including links to the Forum's Newsletter, Report, Press Release and Events to name a few.

American Water Works Association (AWWA)
The AWWA is an organization made up of international water suppliers who are, "dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply." Their site provides links to water organizations and utilities around the world.

The AWWA Research Foundation
Sponsors research to help water utilities provide better services to its customers, and among other things environmental leadership. The site provides latest news, projects, awards and events.

Department for International Development (DFID)
DFID is the British government department responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty. DFID seeks to work in partnership with governments which are committed to international targets, and seeks to work with business, civil society and the research community to encourage progress which will help reduce poverty. This web site provides links to documents on public information on DFID, advocacy publications to raise development awareness, country strategy papers and general information on DFID's involvement in the water sector.

Department for Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC)
SANDEC focuses on problems of sustainable development in economically less developed countries. It aims to find and/or develop concepts and technologies in the water and sanitation sector which are appropriate and sustainable for the different physical and socioeconomic conditions prevailing in developing countries.

Environmental Health Project (EHP)
EHP helps development organizations address environment related health problems. It concentrates on causes of infant and child illness and death in USAID-assisted countries and provides technical assistance among others in tropical disease control, water and sanitation, wastewater and solid waste.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
The EBRD seeks to help its 26 countries of operations to implement structural and sectoral economic reforms, promoting competition, privatisation and entrepreneurship, taking into account the particular needs of countries at different stages of transition. Through its investments it promotes private sector activity, the strengthening of financial institutions and legal systems, and the development of the infrastructure needed to support the private sector. The Bank applies sound banking and investment principles in all of its operations. The EBRD provides direct financing for private sector activities, restructuring and privatisation as well as funding for the infrastructure that supports these activities. Its investments also help to build and strengthen institutions. The main forms of EBRD financing are loans, equity investments (shares) and guarantees.

The Global Environmental Sanitation Initiative (GESI)
is a new global activity led by an international steering committee and carried on under the umbrella of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC). The overall aim of GESI is to raise the profile of sanitation and hygiene behaviour globally through a major thrust in advocacy, collaboration and funding.

Global Water Partnership (GWP)
GWP is a network of members sharing the same vision of water management and development. It represents its members' interests (e.g. government water departments, NGO's, academic institutions), and on an equal basis those international organizations supporting the Partnership financially. GWP facilitated initiatives are based on sharing and developing knowledge and experience in line with the Dublin-Rio principles and intended to support national, regional and international cooperation and coordination of activities.

International Hydrological Programme (IHP) aims at the improvement of the scientific and technological basis for the development of methods for the rational management of water resources, including the protection of the environment

The International Institute for Infrastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (IHE)
conducts scientific research and provides postgraduate education and training in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure. IHE is a platform from which knowledge is transferred to all parts of our changing world. The Institute is committed to developing and strengthening the reservoir of human resources, and to improving the quality of life of all communities. In many developing countries, IHE is a 'partner in action' in problem driven research, education and capacity building operations world-wide.

International Office for Water (IOW)
IOW gathers public and private partners involved in water resources management and protection in France, Europe and in the world (bi- and multi-lateral cooperation organizations, ministries, water agencies, local communities, universities, engineering schools, research centers, land development companies, water suppliers and professionals, industrialists, professional associations, non governmental organizations) in order to set up a real partners' network.

The International Private Water Association (IPWA)
is a non-profit corporation, established to promote opportunities for private sector participation in water utilities worldwide.

International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC)
The activities of IRC are directed towards capacity building in the water and sanitation sector through research and training, advocacy, information and documentation support, publications and advisory services on issues such as communication, gender, hygiene education, community management and affordable technologies.

IRCDOC - IRC's Bibliographic Database
Researchers, students, and information gatekeepers can now freely access a unique bibliographic database on water supply and sanitation in developing countries.

International Water Management Institute
To contribute to food security and poverty eradication by fostering sustainable increases in the productivity of water through better management of irrigation and other water uses in river basins.

International Water Services Association (IWSA)
IWSA is an international network of professionals concerned with the provision of water supply and wastewater management. The organization covers a wide range of interests which fall under four divisions: management; water quality; distribution; and resources. The details of these divisions, and information on membership, events, publications, and networking are all contained in their web site.

Sustainable Rural Development Information System An electronic information library full of resources "useful to resolving rural issues of global, national and global importance." Topics include natural resource management, empowerment and governance, food security, etc. Includes links to indicators, country profiles, sourcebooks, and case studies. Created by CIESIN and the World Bank.

National Association of Water Companies
The only national trade association that "exlusively represents the private and investor-owned water utility industry." Provides information regarding publications, events, government relations, and includes an on-line expo targetted towards NAWC members.

National Drinking Water Clearinghouse
Assists small communities by collecting, developing, and providing timely information relevant to drinking water issues.

National Small Flows Clearinghouse
Helps America's small communities meet their wastewater needs.

One World: Water and Sanitation information
OneWorld is dedicated to promoting human rights and sustainable development by harnessing the democratic potential of the Internet.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD has 30 member countries in an organisation that, most importantly, provides governments a setting in which to discuss, develop and perfect economic and social policy. They compare experiences, seek answers to common problems and work to co-ordinate domestic and international policies that increasingly in today's globalised world must form a web of even practice across nations.

United Nations Children's Fund: Water, Environment, and Sanitation (UNICEF-WES) provides information and articles on water, environment and sanitation programming for children.

UNDP's Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment (PPPUE)
programme helps bring together government, private business and civil society to pool their resources and skills to address the urban environmental challenges of the 21st century. It supports the efforts of cities, municipalities and communities in the developing world to improve the lives of their citizens through private sector participation in critical environmental services. PPPUE is not a programme about privatisation but about helping communities increase access to urban environmental services by choosing from a menu of partnership options. All of these options have the same goal: to turn environmental problems into viable and sustainable businesses. The purpose of the PPPUE is to help countries tap into the increasing flow of available private capital resources that globalization has brought. The PPPUE helps countries establish mutually beneficial partnerships through well negotiated and structured social and development programmes.

Unesco Water Portal

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
UNIDO is a specialist agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting sustainable development in countries with developing and transition economies. It contains information regarding UNIDO's activities, business opportunities, databases, publications, and contacts. UNIDO has also developed Guidelines for the Development, Negotiation and Contracting of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Projects.

The Water and Sanitation Program is a partnership that directly addresses the serious problems of unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation facing the developing world today. The Program focuses on rural water supply and sanitation, urban environmental sanitation, and participation and gender.

Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)
WEDC is concerned with planning, provision and management of water, sanitation and other physical infrastructure for development in low- and middle-income countries. Provides education, training, research and consultancy related to improvement of health and well-being of people living in both rural areas and urban communities.

Water Environment Research Foundation
The Water Environment Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Water Environment Federation. Funded through voluntary contributions and grants, WERF manages research under four Thrust Areas: Collection and Treatment Systems, Human Health and Environmental Effects, Watershed Management, and Residuals Management.

Water Environment Federation A technical and educational organization working toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. Chat and discussion rooms, news and research...

The Water Page
An independent initiative dedicated to the promotion of sustainable water resources management and use. Emphasis is placed on the development, utilization and protection of water in Africa and other developing regions. The Water Page recently incorporated the African Water Page.

Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)
The mission of the Collaborative Council is to enhance collaboration among developing countries and External Support Agencies so as to accelerate the achievement of sustainable water, sanitation, and waste management, with special attention to the poor. This site compiles news and happenings in the water and sanitation sector.

Water UK
Water UK represents all UK water suppliers and waste water operators at a national and European level. The information centre of this website includes press releases, speeches, viewpoints, publications, as well as a glossary of water terms.

WatsanWeb
Developed by the Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management (SKAT), WatsanWeb is an internet portal to the water and sanitation sector.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
is a coalition of some 140 international companies united by a shared commitment to sustainable development, i.e. environmental protection, social equity and economic growth. In broad terms, the WBCSD aims to develop closer co-operation between business, government and all other organizations concerned with the environment and sustainable development. We also seek to encourage high standards of environmental management in business itself.

World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)

The World's Water
This website is complemtary to the book, The World’s Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, by Peter H. Gleick (Island Press, Washington, D.C.) and contains current information, data and links on the topic of freshwater resources.

WRC
Focusing on the provision of water, waste and environmental solutions world-wide, WRc offers pollution management and consultancy services through WRc Consulting and three business areas - Environment, Networks and Processes. WRc-NSF provides research and testing in the areas of environmental and public health quality.

Development Banks

African Development Bank

Asian Development Bank

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Inter-American Development Bank

Research Institutes

IHE
Established in 1957, IHE is dedicated to scientific research, postgraduate education, training and capacity building in the fields of water, environment and infrastructure. The Institute is a globally active "partner in action", through solution-oriented approaches.

Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy Research Program: International Private Finance and the Environment
Private investment in many developing countries now vastly exceeds official foreign aid. To achieve sustainable development, these countries must set environmental as well as economic goals in the privatization of government-owned enterprises and the development of infrastructure projects, joint ventures, acquisitions, and technology transfers. This study examines mechanisms for channeling private capital into environmentally beneficial investments and for ensuring that all development projects include appropriate environmental components.

The Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development
is a policy-oriented research and consulting organization. Nautilus promotes international cooperation for security and ecologically sustainable development. Programs embrace both global and regional issues, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

The Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security
is an independent, non-profit center created in 1987 to conduct research and policy analysis in the areas of environment, sustainable development, and international security. Underlying all of the Institute's work is the recognition that the pressing problems of environmental degradation, regional and global poverty, and political tension and conflict are fundamentally related, and that long-term solutions require an interdisciplinary perspective.