Australian Water Partnership

About AWP

The Australian Water Partnership mobilises Australian expertise to assist partners in sustainable and climate resilient water resource management in South Asia, South-East Asia, and the Pacific.

Funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Water Partnership supports a range of activities that draw on Australian expertise to respond to the needs of partner governments and international organisations.

The Australian Water Partnership has over 240 Australian partners, many from the private sector, that work collaboratively with governments, civil society, private sector, research and multilateral partners in the region to enhance climate resilient water management in the Indo-Pacific region.

eWater Group proudly manages the Australian Water Partnership as part of our international development strategy.

Learn more by reading our Strategic Plan 2024-2028

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Mission and Vision

AWP Mission

Through trusted partnerships, mobilise Australian water sector expertise to address demand from the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

AWP Vision

Enhanced sustainable and climate-resilient management of water in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

The Australian Water Partnership Approach

The Australian Water Partnership supports a range of activities that draw on Australian expertise to respond to requests for Australian expertise in water management from across the region.

With a strong emphasis on working in partnership, the Australian Water Partnership draws on the many strengths of the Australian water community, which underpins their theory of change and the ways they work and organise themselves. The Australian Water Partnership’s network of partners and collaborators spans Australia, the Indo-Pacific region, and the rest of the world.

The operating model anticipates that working in partnership will create the conditions for stronger and more sustainable development outcomes and contribute to Australian diplomatic objectives.

AWP GEographic focus

The Australian Water Partnership has a geographic focus on the Pacific (including regional, Fiji and Papua New Guinea) and Southeast Asia (the Mekong, Indonesia and Timor-Leste), which aligns with the Australian aid program priority areas, and take our lead on engagement in South Asia and Africa as required by government. The majority of their programming will be in priority countries and regions, and they expect to support discrete activities in other places including South Asia.

The Australian Water Partnership also plays a role in supporting Australian water diplomacy through engagement with regional and international forums. Their role is to highlight Australian and Indo-Pacific voices and experience, particularly where they are working in partnership towards sustainable and climate-resilient water resource management.

The Australian Water Partnership engages with regional and multilateral partners and processes in close collaboration with Australian government partners.

To learn more about the impact the Australian Water Partnership is having in these communities, visit their website.

Who does AWP work with and support?

Regional and International Partnerships

Regional Partners

The Australian Water Partnership has built strong relationships with organisations across the Indo-Pacific region who are striving to ensure water is safe, reliable, and sustainably managed in their regions.

In the Pacific, The Australian Water Partnership is proud to partner with the Pacific Water & Wastewater Association (PWWA) and the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC), two key organisations working regionally across the spectrum of water issues. Their partnership with PWWA is one of their longest-standing and has included pioneering activities on climate-resilient water utilities, support for Pacific young water professionals and PWWA’s peak annual conference.

The Australian Water Partnership also has long-established partnerships with the Mekong River Commission (MRC), supporting their critical work across the Mekong region to sustain one of the world’s most important rivers, with the largest inland fishery globally. Their partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the key regional body for the Himalaya region, focuses on shared water resources – with 10 major rivers relied on by 1.3 billion people.

Sarah Ransom, General Manager of the Australian Water Partnership, is also the Australian Board Member of the Asia Water Council (AWC) and plays a role in selecting and monitoring AWC water activities. The Australian Water Partnership also collaborates with AWC in events, publications and advocacy for sustainable and climate-resilient water management in Asia.

Australian embassies and consulates

The Australian Water Partnership work closely with Australian embassies in our key geographies to assist with requests for assistance from In-country Partners that are channelled through the Australian Government. Embassies and consulates lead on policy engagement and help to identify water-related priorities in the region.

International Allies

Multilateral Partners have been carefully selected based on common strategic aspirations with the Australian Water Partnership, and their experience and influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Their partnerships with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank enable them to amplify their targeted support within their large-scale water resource management investment loans and grants. The Australian Water Partnership provides timely and specific niche Australian water expertise to promote improved development outcomes for these loans and grants that contribute to achieving their vision and mission.

Their partnerships with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) build on their long-term presence, experience, and relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Australian Water Partnership has also built partnerships with key international organisations such as the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), through their involvement in World Water Week and in the water for climate space, the Water Pavilion at the annual UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties.

Want to learn more about the Australian Water Partnership, their work and the incredible people delivering these projects and programs?

Visit their website to learn more about the Australian Water Partnership

Visit Website

Address

UC Innovation Centre, Building
22 University Drive South Bruce,
ACT, 2617, Australia

Office

+61 2 6201 5168

Support and Training

1300 5 WATER (toll free within Australia)
or +61 2 6206 8637 (International)