ANZ and AWA partner on South-East Asian water programs

ANZ has announced a new partnership with the Australian Water Association (AWA) to support the latter’s water and wastewater management programs in South-East Asia. The partnership builds on ANZ’s existing relationship with AWA in Australia, which seeks to promote innovation and best practice in water and wastewater management around the country.

AWA’s programs focus on knowledge sharing, capacity building, trade and investment initiatives and strengthening governance arrangements in Vietnam, India and Indonesia. This includes organising outbound and inbound trade delegations of water professionals, facilitating trade exhibitions and business matching. ANZ will add expertise in infrastructure and public-private partnership (PPP) financing.

“As part of our commitment to sustainable finance, we believe this partnership will help disseminate Australian expertise in key markets identified by AWA and where ANZ has operations, as well as leverage private sector involvement in aid-funded water projects,” said ANZ Managing Director of Global Loans and Advisory Christina Tonkin. “We hope to develop similar programs in other Mekong countries in due course.”

AWA Chief Executive Jonathan McKeown said the support of ANZ, coupled with that of the state and federal governments, will enable AWA to build the capacity of the water sectors in fast-emerging Asian economies and raise the profile of the Australian water sector’s skills and capabilities.

“Australia’s water sector has much to offer our regional neighbours to enable sustainable urban and rural growth and economic productivity,” he said. “Our collaboration with ANZ will support institutional strengthening necessary for improved performance of water and wastewater services and support government objectives for transitioning Asian countries towards a more market-orientated water sector.”