June 9, 2009
Former UN Special Envoy launches WaterAid Sverige

WaterAid Sverige (Sweden) officially launched on June 8, 2009 at a prestigious event hosted by the UK Ambassador to Sweden, Andrew Mitchell.

The launch event, at the Ambassador's official residence in Stockholm, began with a welcome from the host. He explained how he first became aware of WaterAid during his time as Deputy Head of Mission with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Kathmandu, Nepal, and that our work is still very close to his heart as a result. Many others spoke warmly about WaterAid and how delighted they were that it now has a presence in Sweden.

Here is an organization who works to deliver safe water to one million people a year and sanitation to 1.5 million. They are renowned and their work is practical and concrete.
Jan Eliasson

WaterAid Sweden's distinguished chair is Jan Eliasson, the former United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Darfur and President of the United Nations General Assembly.   

Mr Eliasson has experienced first-hand the desperate need for clean water in developing countries. He said:

"Exactly a year ago when traveling with peace mediators we were met by a group of women in a village in Darfur, Sudan. They chanted over and over: 'We want water, we want water'."

Militia had poisoned the wells and now the women had to walk for hours to collect dirty water, water that made their children sick.

When asked to chair WaterAid Sweden Mr Eliasson - who for many years has worked on the international policy level with issues, such as the Millennium Goals -  gladly accepted the invitation:

"Here is an organization who works to deliver safe water to one million people a year and sanitation to 1.5 million. They are renowned and their work is practical and concrete. That is why I'm involved with WaterAid Sweden."

Engaged both by the UN and the Swedish Government on diplomatic missions and peace negotiations, Mr Eliasson has often dealt with conflicts rooted in scarce water resources:

"The fact there is a need to share water resources, can be a catalyst for cooperation rather than a reason for conflict."

An opinion piece by Jan in Sweden's second biggest daily newspaper talks about Fatal Neglect , WaterAid's recent report, which details how diarrhea - the second biggest killer of under-fives - is being neglected.

During the day, acknowledging that water is a key issue for the world and for our future, Mr Eliasson affirmed that this is very much the right time for WaterAid to be established in Sweden. He noted that part of WaterAid Sweden's role will be to raise funds, but also, importantly, to add its expertise to ensure poorest people around the world have access to water and sanitation.

Speaking about the launch, WaterAid's Director of Communications and Fundraising, Andrew Cook, said: "It was a wonderful occasion, well attended by people full of enthusiasm for our work, including representatives from government, other charities and non-governmental organizations. It was brilliant to see how far we've come in a short time."

More about WaterAid Sverige

WaterAid Sverige has been in development since late 2007, when Per Stenbeck, then UNICEF’s International Fundraising Director, floated the idea to Andrew Cook.

Per Stenbeck’s appointment as General Secretary of WaterAid Sweden was confirmed in March 2009, and a Board of eight members was recruited, drawing expertise from the fields of health, development, the environment, the Swedish water industry, and the media.

The focus for WaterAid Sverige will be on fundraising, awareness building and development education.

• Visit the new WaterAid Sverige website at www.wateraid.org/se (Swedish language).