ONLINE | 9th Spain - LAC Water Dialogues

Based on the definition of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals targets, significant progress has been made to improve water security by increasing coverage of safe access to drinking water and sanitation, improving efficiency and increasing productive irrigation and family farming, as well as improving storm drainage and coastal protection infrastructure. Despite these efforts, the gaps still persist.

A recent CAF study conducted in thirteen countries concluded that it is necessary to invest an average of USD 36 billion per year until 2030 to meet the infrastructure needs for water security. This implies significant challenges in sectoral financing, in an environment of greater fiscal pressure in the countries derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, which calls for economic recovery and reactivation, as well as more inclusive growth and greater climate resilience.

In this context, countries must increase investments and improve efficiency in public spending, in which water plays a key role in achieving the SDGs. This requires innovative public and private financing mechanisms with high added value, incorporating new technologies and digitization of processes and "greener" solutions. Likewise, it is necessary to establish medium and long-term planning that outlines a prioritized roadmap for investments, under specific criteria governed by the inclusion and provision of infrastructure prepared to counteract the effects of climate change.

The 9th edition of the Water Dialogues aims to establish a dialogue around the challenges in financing the investments needed to meet the targets set out in SDG 6 and the SDGs related to water.

Date: November 28, 2023

Time: 3:30 p.m. (Madrid time)

*The event will be streamed on this microsite.