Public Private Partnership to improve access to water and Sanitation: UN-Habitat and Coca-Cola further Strengthen their Partnership

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and The Coca-Cola Company today announced that they will collaborate to improve community access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation in countries in Asia, Africa and South America. The two partners will undertake water and sanitation projects in the three continents as a part of UN-Habitat's ongoing regional programmes on water and sanitation in these geographies supported by the Water and Sanitation Trust Fund of UN-HABITAT. This collaboration announced on World Water Day builds on the earlier partnership between UN-Habitat and Coca-Cola which undertook water conservation, sanitation and clean drinking water projects in India and Nepal over a three year period.

Announcing this partnership at the Fifth session of the World Urban Forum in Rio, Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT said, "Clean water and sanitation is the key to human development and are the basic requirements to improving the living conditions of the urban poor. Lack of access to sanitation is the single biggest cause of disease among women, and the key contributing factor to why adolescent girls drop out of school. The average woman or girl in Kibera slums of Kenya spends up to four hours a day to fetch water. The poor, who are denied piped water supply, buy water from vendors and pay up to 50 times more than those who have access to piped water supply. The partnership announcement today with Coca-Cola builds on the joint vision of the two organizations to work for the sustainability of communities and follows the successful implementation of water and sanitation projects in India and Nepal. This is also a step forward on implementing Public-Private-Community partnerships projects to meet the challenge of the Millennium Development Goals in an affordable and acceptable manner."

Mr. Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, announcing the partnership on behalf of The Coca-Cola Company while also launching the Publication captioned "The Ripple Effect" said, "Water is fundamental to all communities and we understand that businesses thrive only amidst vibrant and sustainable societies. The Coca-Cola Company and the United Nations system enjoy a long standing partnership that includes advocacy and implementation of projects in a wide range of areas. Both organizations share the vision to improve the overall standard of living in communities and we are delighted to broaden the Company's existing partnership with UN-HABITAT and take it to geographies and regions where water and sanitation is the primary need."

Dr.Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT along with Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia releasing the The Ripple Effect booklet at the Fifth session of the World Urban Forum in Rio, Brazil. The Ripple effect, documents the partnership between UN-Habitat and The Coca-Cola Company in India and South West Asia. The leanings from the partnerships are catalogued in the publication such that it serves as a ready reckoner for similar projects in future

Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia greeting Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT during the joint Press conference at the Fifth session of the World Urban Forum in Rio, Brazil

As per the announcement today, UN-Habitat and Coca-Cola will identify and undertake projects to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation in a US$ 1 million partnership. The two partners will contribute equally in monetary terms in this partnership.

In Asia, the two partners will work on projects in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. In Pakistan, UN-Habitat and Coca-Cola will work to improve sanitation and clean drinking water access for coastal communities situated 15 KM southwest of Karachi. Here only 30% of the population has access to water supply. A key component of the project will also be to build capacity of the village on water, sanitation and hygiene behaviors and on sustainable operation and management of the water and environmental sanitation systems. The project will be executed over a period of 18 months with an investment of US$ 200,000. In Bangladesh, the two partners' alongwith The Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Programme (UPPR) will undertake water conservation and hygiene practices program in 30 schools in Dhaka and Comilla with an investment of US$ 300,000. The project will be executed over a period of 2 years and is expected to benefit 6,000 families.

In South America, UN-Habitat and Coca-Cola have identified Brazil as the country to undertake these projects and the initial proposal is to implement a pilot project on rainwater harvesting.

Projects and interventions in India and in African countries are under discussion and will be identified and implemented in due course of time. The total outlay for community projects in India, Brazil and African countries will be more than US$ 0.5 Million.

Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT joining Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia and other delegates as part of a breakfast meeting during the Fifth session of the World Urban Forum in Rio, Brazil.

In India, the partners will identify new projects other than the existing projects in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. The existing projects implemented include the installation of rainwater harvesting systems in 16 schools in Madhya Pradesh in India. There is work underway to provide clean drinking water project in more than 50 schools in West Bengal. The two organizations have also undertaken clean drinking water and sanitation projects in 5 communities in Nepal. These projects have helped in engaging more than 120,000 students and in conserving more than 10 million litres of water.