The 2008 Conference on Sanitation Options in the Asia-Pacific was recently conducted on November 18-21 at Hanoi, Vietnam.  This is the first of three annual conferences to be jointly organized by the International Water Association (IWA) and the Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN).

The conference attracted top international water and sanitation experts to share their expertise, knowledge and experiences with managers, operators and practitioners within the region. Many participants have to address similar challenges back home. http://www.iwa-seawun-hanoi2008.com

The DILG-GTZ Water Supply and Sanitation Program, was invited to participate in this knowledge-sharing event. Ms Fe Banluta produced a poster showing our program set-up and successes, while Engr. Kuchta presented the GTZ experience on sanitation in the Philippines based on the program’s activities. From the “Unang Bugso” event to the Visayan-Mindanao Regional Sanitation Summit, the wide range of the program´s initiatives earned high praise from Prof. Matsui, Kyoto University, who lauded the program as a beacon for sanitation in Asia.  Mr. Paul Reiter, Executive Director of IWA, and Mr. Vu Kim Quyen, Executive Director of SEAWUN, have highly appreciated the program’s ground-breaking efforts on sanitation and are looking forward to visit the pilot facilities in the country.