WaterLinks Highlights Utility Leadership at WUF13 Kick-Off Meeting for Service Providers Stakeholder Group in Baku

At the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan, WaterLinks actively participated in the Kick-off Meeting for the Service Providers Stakeholder Group, convened by UN-Habitat and Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance, held on 17 May 2026. The session brought together global utilities and service provider networks to strengthen their collective voice in shaping inclusive, resilient, and well-connected cities.

WaterLinks was represented by Ms. Yolanda Gomez, Senior Partnership Coordinator, who served as a panelist and contributed to the agenda discussion on the significance of establishing a dedicated stakeholder group for utilities and service providers within the World Urban Forum process. Her intervention emphasized the importance of integrating utilities into urban planning and housing processes, as well as advancing peer-to-peer learning and capacity development across service providers.

WaterLinks’ participation reinforced the importance of collaboration across water, sanitation, and broader urban service sectors to address shared challenges such as service gaps, climate risks, and urban inequality.