The International Water Association (IWA) is delighted to present the final keynote speaker’s lineup for the Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda on 10-14 December 2023.  Each day the programme will feature keynote plenary sessions, followed by panel discussions.

Delegates will be welcomed by an enlightening keynote during the opening ceremony on 10 December to be delivered by Mathi Vathanan, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha, India.  His decentralised strategy with community partnership model for water supply has been recognised globally due to impressive achievements in Odisha.

Other inspiring keynote speakers are due to take on the plenaries at the Congress during the rest of the week to share their insights on water, sanitation, and climate resilience as crucial components of sustainable development. The lineup includes three prominent individuals from the African water sector: Dr Jennifer Molwantwa, CEO of the Water Research Commission in South Africa, Dr Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of the National Water and Sanitation Corporation in Uganda, and Osward M. Chanda of the African Development Bank. More international high-profile individuals from academia and industry are also expected: Prof. Jiuhui Qu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Tsinghua University in China, Deepa Karthykeyan of Athena Infonomics, Hasin Jahan​ of WaterAid Bangladesh, and Marina Batalini De Macedo, of the Federal University of Itajubá in Brazil.

For more details on the speakers and plenaries please visit: waterdevelopmentcongress.org/keynotes

Announcing the keynote plenary sessions, IWA Executive Director Kala Vairavamoorthy expressed his excitement, saying, “We’re excited to host a range of accomplished speakers, each bringing unique perspectives and impressive expertise to the Congress. They’ll share their vast experience and forward-thinking ideas to help us broaden water and sanitation access in the most sustainable way possible.

We anticipate their speeches will enlighten and engage delegates and the next generation of water professionals looking to make a positive impact for a water-wise future.”

The week will feature a series of key programme features, most of which are by invitation-only, creating forums for key segments and interests in the sector. The event includes a wide range of technical sessions and workshops, a new SanitAction Innovators Expo, the presentation of the prestigious IWA Water and Development Awards, networking opportunities, and much more.

For more information please visit: waterdevelopmentcongress.org