Following our work to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue on water for the last two years, Bridge initiative was asked to organize a debate at the World Social Forum (WSF) between the private sector and civil society on the Right to water.

In order to respect the civil society space within the Forum, CSOs agreed to do it outside and it was scheduled to be held at the Safari Park Hotel on the 23rd January.

The day before the debate, however, the CSOs within the water justice movement couldn’t reach consensus on whether to hold the debate due to the sensitive nature of the topic and the fact that it would bring together the civil society, private sector, and World Bank near the world social forum. They decided to postpone it and to have it during another International event, possibly the World Water Week 2007 to be held in Stockholm.

Bridge Initiative felt that since invitations had already been sent out, and in respect of those who might want to participate decided to hold a shortened version of the session to explain why the proposed debate would not occur and focus the discussion on the challenges surrounding dialogue on the right to water.

We had a debate with the following participants : Anil Naidoo, Blue Planet Project, Gérard Payen, Aquafed, Alain Mathys, Suez environnement, Pierre Victoria, Véolia environnement, John Garrison, World Bank.

For Bridge initiative this experience in Nairobi revealed more than ever the importance of multi-stakeholders dialogue on water issue. Nairobi showed that the process is fragile and needs a lot of preparation and attention but the will to debate exists from all sides.

What needs to be looked at carefully now is the timing of debate, the contents, the choice of participants and the rules on which the debate can exist. It is important that all parties think about their own engagement and their own objective in the debate. Those debates are based on confidence and trust. The choice made by Bridge Initiative to keep the Table of Controversy despite the lack of participants from civil society was to start a reflection on this specific aspect: what are the conditions of debate before starting to debate? Bridge Initiative wants to make sure that these conditions exist and are shared by all parties to strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogues in the future.

Next Step :

1- A closed-door meeting before July with the water group Following the Dijon meeting in October 2006, and after the event in Nairobi, Bridge Initiative have the feeling a multi-stakeholders meeting should take place before June with the same participant ‘s of Dijon meeting and have a specific discussion on everyone's engagement and objectives toward those dialogue. We have the feeling that there is a need for clarification and building confidence before going ahead in the contents itself.

2- World Water Week in Stockholm. For the time being we have proposed a public debate on the Right to Water at the World Water Week in Stockholm in August this year. We should receive an answer beginning of February from the organisation committee.