Our member Águas de Gaia (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal) has met with Maryna Mykhailenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic, to discuss a collaboration project with Oblvodokanal, the water utility in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. The partnership is part of the Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) initiative led by Global Water Operators'​ Partnerships Alliance/UN-Habitat (GWOPA) — a programme that facilitates peer-support partnerships in which experienced water and sanitation service providers share their skills, knowledge, and expertise to help improve the performance of utilities in need of support.

As a mentor utility in the WOPs initiative, Águas de Gaia will provide technical expertise and operational support to strengthen the capacity of Oblvodokanal. The initiative aims to address the ongoing challenges in ensuring sustainable water supply and sanitation in the region, particularly in the context of the war. As an active member of GWOPA, Aqua Publica Europea supports the members’ engagement in WOPs by promoting cooperation between members. 

In collaboration with UNICEF Ukraine Country Office (UCO), this initiative will also contribute to developing models for replicating similar capacity-building approaches in other Ukrainian municipalities and regions.