The Inception Workshop on Pro-Poor Public-Private Partnerships for Water Supply Schemes in Sri Lanka was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 8 and 9 April 2003.  The Workshop was initial part of the UNESCAP follow-up to WSSD pilot project on the provision of water supplies in Sri Lanka. The Workshop was co-organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and Sevanatha - Urban Resource Centre (URC).  The Workshop was attended by 77 participants from UNESCAP, various Sri Lankan Government agencies, the private sector, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

            The objectives of the Workshop were:

• To develop a conceptual framework through a consultative approach with the involvement of a wider group of professionals and other stakeholders

• To analyze field experiences with the participation of both local and foreign expertise with a view to developing a framework for implementing the project

• To understand the options available for public-private-community partnerships and agree on the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder group.

            The participants expressed interest in seeking partnerships between small local entrepreneurs, the public sector and communities and of including sanitation in the project activities.  They agreed that each situation in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) would be unique and would require a PPP to be developed to meet specific local community requirements and opportunities.  It was requested that a demonstration project should be developed in one peri-urban area and two urban slum settings, which presented three different development scenarios.

            The Workshop, therefore, recommended the follow-up action to be taken by UNESCAP:

1. A Steering Group to be established in coordination with UNESCAP, involving representatives of all key stakeholders, to (i) agree on its terms of reference; (ii) finalize the logical framework; (iii) develop a work plan accordingly, defining responsibilities and deadlines; (iv) guide the project implementation process; and (v) monitor progress made and adjust the implementation plan as necessary.

2. Four institutional strengthening workshops for NWSDB and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are to be held by Sevanatha.

3. UNESCAP to investigate funding availability within the project and seek opportunities for parallel donor funding from other sources.

4. The background paper on providing water supplies to the poor to be completed.

5. A PPP Project Management Unit to be established within the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to provide guidance to the project.  UNESCAP to provide advice and assistance in establishing and strengthening the unit.