Welcome to the Arab Water Utilities

The Blue Community Network is proud to designate the first Blue Community in the Middle East: The Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA). 

ACWUA is registered as a Non-Governmental & Non-profit organization, and hosted by the Government of Jordan / Ministry of Water & Irrigation. ACWUA has been officially established in 2009 in Amman, Jordan according to Prime Ministry letter number 57/11/1/8171 dated 2 May 2007.

ACWUA was founded as a result of an initiative by a group of key water experts representing the water and wastewater sector in the Arab Countries. ACWUA Steering Committee (SC) was formed during the first consultative meeting that took place in Cairo-Egypt, in September 2006.

The first General Assembly meeting of ACWUA was held in Alexandria, Egypt on 19 November 2008. Also, the decision to locate a permanent ACWUA Secretariat office in Amman – Jordan was taken. On 30 July 2009, ACWUA, was officially launched in Amman-Jordan.

ACWUA was able -in a very short period of time- to steadily and rapidly expand, through developing wide cooperation networks and building strong liaisons with the Arab and international organizations. Today, ACWUA’s membership comprises 106 utilities from 18 Arab countries.

In its commitment to the Blue Community, ACWUA states:

«We are seeking to become a Blue Community and join the Blue Community Network to align our work with a global movement that promotes water as a human right, protects public water services, and advances sustainable and equitable water management. As a regional organization working closely with water utilities and stakeholders across Arab countries, we see strong synergy between our mandate and the Blue Community principles, particularly in strengthening public sector capacity, promoting inclusive access to water services, and fostering knowledge exchange.»

ACWUA has consistently worked to advance the recognition and practical implementation of the human right to water and sanitation across the Arab region. Through past activities, ACWUA has supported water utilities and public institutions in improving service delivery, governance, and accountability, with a strong emphasis on equitable access for vulnerable groups, including low-income communities, refugees, and persons with disabilities. ACWUA has delivered targeted capacity-building programs, technical trainings, and regional knowledge exchanges that promote inclusive policies and rights-based approaches to water management. In addition, ACWUA has contributed to regional dialogue and policy discussions that emphasize water as a public good and a fundamental human right.

Regarding the Blue Community pledge 2, Promotion of publicly financed, owned and operated water and wastewater services, ACWUA states:

«Our organization is committed to promoting publicly financed, owned, and operated water and wastewater services as the foundation for equitable and sustainable service delivery. Our goal is to further strengthen the performance and resilience of public service providers by expanding training programs on utility management, financial planning, and performance improvement, while ensuring affordability and inclusiveness. We also plan to develop practical tools and facilitate partnerships that support public utilities in delivering high-quality services, as well as advocate for policies that reinforce public ownership and long-term investment in the water sector, in line with Principle 2.»

Eng. Khaldon Khashman, Secretary General of ACWUA, and member of the Strategic Advisory Group for the UN Water monitoring the achievements of SDG6, declares:

«By becoming a Blue Community and joining the global network, we expect to engage in meaningful collaboration, share regional experiences and best practices, and contribute to global dialogue on water governance and resilience. At the same time, we aim to support the expansion of Blue Community values in our region by raising awareness, facilitating partnerships, and integrating these principles into our training programs, policy dialogues, and capacity-building initiatives.»

Maude Barlow, Blue Community co-founder, is delighted to welcome ACWUA:

«’It is a great honour and a source of pride to welcome the prestigious Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) with its 106 members in 18 Arab countries as our first partner in the Middle East to join the Blue Community. This will not only boost the regional growth of our network, but also help to spread our values through collaboration with such an experienced and well-established organisation. Today is a wonderful day for the Blue Community and for the right to water and sanitation.»

Learn more about ACWUA on its website