2024
GWOPA Assembly
2 and 3 November

Cairo, Egypt and online
Photo by @Jack Krier
About the GWOPA Assembly

GWOPA’s Charter calls for a General Assembly of members to be held every two years.

In 2024, a GWOPA Assembly will be held on 2 and 3 November in Cairo, Egypt. This event will be held just prior to the opening of the World Urban Forum (WUF) on 4-8 November, the foremost global cities event convened by UN-Habitat with the Government of Egypt.

This will be the first assembly of GWOPA under the new governance framework, which will initiate a new hybrid format.

Please save the date to join us in Cairo and engage the diverse GWOPA memberships in refreshing our mandate, networking, and seeking synergies and new partnerships!

The GWOPA Assembly is one of the three bodies constituting the organizational structure of GWOPA: The GWOPA Assembly, the GWOPA Steering Committee, and the GWOPA Secretariat.

GWOPA’s Assembly is open for all institutional and individual members to attend. We welcome you all to join in person or remotely.

The GWOPA Assembly (Membership) undertakes the following functions:

1
Reviews, guides and discusses the strategic direction of GWOPA;
2
Endorses and validates the elections of the Steering Committee, and elections of any other committees;
3
Requests the Steering Committee and other Committees to undertake certain activities, including the preparations of meetings, activities, and engagements of GWOPA;
4
Provides guidance to the Steering Committee and to the GWOPA Secretariat on issues concerning GWOPA;
5
Adopts recommendations, resolutions, reports, and other decisions pertaining to the work of GWOPA in an advisory capacity; and
6
Establishes committees or task forces, including the Integrity Committee and the Election Committee. The Terms of Reference for the Integrity Committee and Election Committee are attached to the Charter as Annexes 4 and 5 respectively.
Read the GWOPA Charter
What to expect
Celebrate 15 years of peer solidarity!
We are brought together by a dedication to solidarity in supporting utilities to advance the SDGs. Let’s celebrate the achievements of working together as an Alliance as we celebrate 15 years.
Exercise your membership in the Alliance
The Assembly is the opportunity to understand the meaning and workings of the ‘Alliance’: how our members benefit from joining, how they can contribute, and how the governance works. Over the last 15 years, GWOPA has refined its ways of working together as Members, serving the Alliance with a Secretariat, a Steering Committee, and WOP platforms from several regions. Join us to meet with the new and current representatives from your constituencies and your region, to discuss how to best capitalize on this network. Read more on GWOPA Steering Committee.
Shape the future
Participate in the discussions on strategic orientations as GWOPA reviews progress on its current Strategy and prepares for the next one. Make your voice and needs heard!
Learn
The Assembly will offer learning opportunities, with some exciting short onsite courses and inspirational talks on the art of mentoring, facilitating WOPs, and more. On the second day of the Assembly, members will have the opportunity to participate in a training session organized by our partner, the Water Integrity Network (WIN). Later in the week, GWOPA and its local partners will offer a half-day technical visit to the vibrant city of Cairo.
Utilities and local governments dialogue
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the leading international conference on sustainable urban development. Attending the WUF is highly beneficial for the GWOPA membership as it offers unparalleled global networking opportunities with key stakeholders in urban development, access to expert knowledge and research, and insights into innovative solutions for urban challenges such as sustainable development, housing, and climate change. The forum allows participants to influence urban policy, engage in meaningful dialogue on the future of cities, and promote sustainable and inclusive urban practices.
Functions of the Chair of the Assembly

The Chair of the GWOPA Assembly facilitates the running of the Assembly proceedings. Beyond their role during the Assembly itself, they are expected to champion WOPs and act as a high-level face of the Alliance at events and meetings.

Functions of the Chair of the GWOPA Assembly

2.1
In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon the Chair elsewhere by these rules, they shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the GWOPA Assembly, direct the discussions, ensure observance of these rules, accord GWOPA Members the right to speak, put questions for discussion and decision making, and announce outcomes. The Chair shall, subject to these rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the GWOPA Assembly and over the maintenance of order at its meetings.
2.2
The Chair, in the exercise of their functions, remains under the authority of the GWOPA Assembly.
2.3
The Vice-Chair shall support the Chair in the discharge of their duties as requested and carry out any responsibilities entrusted to him/her by the GWOPA Assembly.

Eligibility criteria for Chair and Vice-Chair of the GWOPA Assembly

The candidate is an individual
The candidate must be affiliated with an organization that is a GWOPA institutional member.
The candidate must actively collaborate with the Secretariat and the Steering Committee of the Alliance.

As a WOP Champion, the Chair will advocate for utilities and WOPs, mobilizing support and engaging decision-makers to advance GWOPA’s mission of global solidarity through peer partnerships. The Chair should possess a deep understanding of the challenges faced by water and sanitation operators worldwide, be a strong advocate for the SDGs, and have a proven track record in supporting peer-to-peer solidarity mechanisms between operators. They will work closely with the Secretariat and the Steering Committee of the Alliance, which will support their two-year mandate until the next Assembly.

As a global alliance, we encourage applications from all countries. Women are currently underrepresented in the GWOPA Alliance governance and are strongly encouraged to apply.

GWOPA Assembly Chair Elections - Provisional Results

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Rose Christine Kaggwa, Senior Director of Business and Scientific Services at National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda, has been provisionally elected as the Chair of the GWOPA General Assembly. Her election will be formally endorsed at the GWOPA Assembly on 2 November 2024, and she will serve for two years.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Ignatius Jean, Executive Director, Caribbean Water And Sewerage Association (CAWASA) for his candidacy and his valuable contributions as a member of the GWOPA Steering Committee.