Signature of a new partnership agreement between AFD and SUEZ Group

Guaranteeing universal access to clean water and sanitation and managing water resources sustainably constitute one of the sustainable development goals.

AFD is committed to achieving this goal, and mobilises all its resources and know-how required for its fulfilment. SUEZ, meanwhile, has more than 160 years of experience of developing resilient and innovative solutions to provide access to essential water and waste services. The Group possesses expertise that is acknowledged in France and worldwide in supporting populations faced with the consequences of climate change and exposed to strong demographic growth that places considerable pressure on resources.

The new partnership between AFD and SUEZ reflects this dynamic. Covering a period of three years, it aims to reinforce collaboration between these two international players in aid of the green transition of the water, sanitation and waste sectors. In practice, the cooperation will notably comprise knowledge sharing in the areas of sustainable water resource management, improving people’s quality of life, and sustainable resource governance on the backdrop of climate change.

Mobilising expertise for the benefit of the Global South
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This institutional partnership will also facilitate the sharing of expertise and experience between SUEZ and the AFD group. Through the organisation of technical discussion workshops and field visits, it will enable them to capitalise on their respective knowledge assets. The partnership will additionally feature jointly conducted corporate social responsibility initiatives.

This agreement further strengthens the collaboration already in place between the two partners. Indeed, since 2009, AFD and Fondation SUEZ have jointly funded the SUEZ-AgroParisTech “Water for All” academic Chair to train executives from the water sector in partner countries.

Commenting on the new partnership, Rémy Rioux, CEO of the AFD group, said: “We are very pleased to renew and reinforce our partnership with the SUEZ group, which will enable us together to contribute to improving access to water and sanitation services for populations all over the world and raise the bar for our Corporate Social Responsibility ambitions. This agreement exemplifies the complementarity of French public and private sector organisations in France’s solidarity-based investment policy, in accordance with the orientations set out by the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister at last year’s Presidential Council for development and the ICICD.”