By Bunmi Yekini
The World Bank Group will on Wednesday host a flagship Spring Meetings event to launch “Water Forward,” a new global initiative aimed at boosting water security, creating jobs and unlocking economic growth.
Titled “Water Forward: Driving Jobs and Prosperity,” the event will spotlight the role of water in sustaining an estimated 1.7 billion jobs worldwide across sectors including agriculture, energy, industry and services. Organizers say inadequate access to reliable water continues to constrain productivity and development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The initiative seeks to strengthen coordination among institutions and scale partnerships that can mobilize investment in water systems, with a focus on translating water security into broader economic opportunity.
Speakers will include Ajay Banga, Reem Alabali Radovan, Kate Hampton, Carlos Piani, Danielle Kamtié and Bastián Pedreros Montero. The session will be moderated by Julie Hyman.
The event will take place on April 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT (UTC-4) at the World Bank’s Preston Auditorium in Washington, D.C., with a live virtual broadcast available to global audiences.
Officials say the initiative marks a step toward aligning financing and policy efforts to address water challenges while supporting jobs, resilience and long-term growth.