We have all types of banks around the world, but we do not have a Water Bank that is fully dedicated as an Investment Bank to finance the water sector globally.

Who Finance The Water Sector Today

The Development Banks, the Investment & Commercial Banks and Funds are the ones who provide the finance to the water sector, but all of them have so many other activities that water financing represent a small part in their overall business activities.

The IWB will be fully dedicated to finance all projects related to the water sector (water innovation and technologies, wastewater, water transportation, infrastructure, desalination, dams and others).

The problem we face today that hinder the development of this important sector to our life and existence and to sustainable development and climate change. The three major obstacles facing the development of this sector are:

  • Severe Mismanagement of Water Resources.
  • Lack of Finance.
  • Politics.

Business As Usual Cannot Continue

Adaptation of global water management with new demotion to global changes is urgently needed. It is necessary to react quickly before it is too late. It is clear that, except in some particular cases, the funds required greatly exceed the conventional financing possibilities coming mainly from national or territorial public budgets whose revenue relies on global tax systems.

In any case it is not in the vocation of the IWB to be owner or shareholder of the infrastructures or utilities that it will finance. It should and will not compete with donors already present in the water sector, but on the contrary, it should seek to work with them and with development banks and financial institutions globally and the private sector to develop co-financing for all sizes of projects.

The main objective of the creation of IWB is to:

  1. To mobilize more funding for the water sector.
  2. To be the center of excellence and the reference address for water finance globally.
  3. To create a true constructive partnership between the private and public sector, as there is a huge private money that can be mobilized into the investment of this sector but there wasn’t the proper platform to accommodate such investments.
  4. To have the proper governance and transparency for water finance and water projects.
  5. To finance certain crucial projects in countries where profitability criteria can only be met if the interest rate is concessional, IWB could allocate part of the funds taken from its profits to allow to finance these projects at reduced loan rates compared to those on the financial markets.
  6. IWB will help small projects essential for a good water governance. They need at least partially to be subsidized or to receive donations to be carried out. IWB will also finance institutional reforms, data management, professional and education courses as they are essential for the development and preservation of this sector.