GSGS showcases strong partnerships and regional influence at IWA WDCE 2025 – A perspective of GSGS Regional Hub East and Southern Africa
The Global Sanitation Graduate School (GSGS) made a strong mark at the 2025 IWA Water Development Congress & Exhibition (WDCE), leveraging the global platform to strengthen partnerships, engage sector leaders, and promote postgraduate sanitation education across the Global South.
Throughout the Congress, GSGS representatives participated in high level board meetings, bilateral engagements, and exhibition activities aimed at expanding the School’s regional footprint and encouraging new institutions to join the GSGS network. Several interactions were held with board members and senior sector leaders, reflecting growing interest in collaborative capacity building for sanitation professionals.
At the GSGS exhibition booth, a series of activities took place alongside the main Congress programme. Delegates from across Africa and beyond engaged with the GSGS team to learn more about the School’s mandate, programmes, and regional hub model hosted by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) in Uganda. Discussions focused on strengthening postgraduate training, research, and professional development in sanitation and urban water management.
Among the notable engagements were strategic discussions led by Dr. Rose Christine Kaggwa, Regional Director of the Global Sanitation Graduate School (GSGS) East & Southern Africa Hub, including a meeting with the Managing Director of Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (TUWASA), Tanzania. The engagement explored opportunities for TUWASA to join the GSGS network as a supporting partner, with a focus on capacity building, postgraduate training, and regional knowledge exchange. Similar discussions were held with the Ghana delegation, reflecting growing momentum for South to South collaboration through shared learning and academic exchange.
The GSGS team also interacted with senior academic and institutional partners, including Prof. Damir Brdjanovic of IHE Delft and GSGS, as well as Henk Ovink, Founding Commissioner of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, alongside a representative from UNDP Thailand. These engagements underscored the School’s alignment with global water and sanitation priorities, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, sanitation financing, and systems strengthening.
Additional outreach was conducted with the Deputy Director of the WASH Centre at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), South Africa, with discussions focused on future collaboration and potential onboarding into the GSGS partnership network.
The Congress concluded with a high level closing ceremony that highlighted the scale and impact of the 2025 IWA WDCE, which convened over 1,600 delegates and nearly 200 exhibitors from around the world. A major spotlight was placed on sanitation and digital innovation, showcasing practical and scalable solutions emerging from low and middle income countries.
During the ceremony, the IWA announced the inaugural IWA Sanitation Summit, scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2027, and invited delegates to participate in the World Water Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, in October 2026. The presentation of the Bangkok Communiqué further reinforced global commitments to advancing water security, sanitation, and climate smart utilities.
Young Water Professionals (YWP) were also recognised during the closing ceremony, with representatives invited to speak and encourage continued youth engagement in the sector. The IWA President and Executive Director commended the enthusiasm and leadership of young professionals and pledged continued support for youth driven innovation in water and sanitation.
As the Congress came to a close, the strong presence and active engagement of the Global Sanitation Graduate School reaffirmed its growing role as a convenor for sanitation education, research, and partnerships across the Global South positioning GSGS as a key contributor to the future of sustainable sanitation worldwide.
