The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has adopted twinning as a key initiative in its Water Operators' Partnership (WOPs) Program. WOPs promotes knowledge sharing and builds the capacity of water operators and utilities in the Asia and the Pacific region.

Whereas most twinning arrangements pair off entities with similar characteristics, ADB’s approach is to match a stronger water and sanitation utility (expert) with a developing utility (recipient). The aim is to enable the latter to improve service coverage and delivery, financial sustainability, and other aspects of its performance. So far, 20 water utilities and operators have been twinned under the initiative.

While it is too early to judge what works best in twinning, a number of early lessons can be identified:

• Commitment from the recipient to implement the necessary improvement programs
• Creating choices for the twins
• Matching the personal/organisational chemistry
• Ensuring easy flow of communications
• Facilitating the diagnostic stage
• Knowing what the expert twin wants from the association

Read the full ADB water brief Power of Two - Boosting Performance Through Twinning (Sept 2008)

Web site:WOPs

Related news: WaterLinks: network for water operators partnerships in the Asia and the Pacific, Source South Asia, 07 Nov 2008

Tags: capacity development, south asia, water distribution, water resources management