Beverage major Coca-Cola has extended its partnership with UNHabitat on water sustainability to 10 countries from five at the sixth World Urban Forum. The partnership will continue to focus on Asia and Africa.

Coca-Cola along with UNHabitat has an overall commitment of over $4 million in towards developing water and sanitation projects in these countries.

A compendium titled ‘ From Water to Well Being’ was released by Joan Clos, Under-Secretary General, United Nations, Executive Director, UNHabitat and Atul Singh, President of Coca-Cola India and South West Asia.

The compendium talks about how the partnership has helped provide sustainable access to safe drinking water, improve access to basic sanitation for the urban poor and slum dwellers and mobilise multi-stakeholders towards water sustainability.

It also states the way forward for the collaboration through projects which will be taken up in 2012-13 to further expand the partnership.

Speaking at the occasion, Atul Singh, President, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said, “The Coca-Cola company takes water access and conservation seriously for the future of human development and the planet. This partnership between UNHabitat and Coca-Cola has helped raise awareness on the key issues of access to water and sanitation as well as provide benefits to communities across Asia and Africa through a multi-lateral partnership. We hope to contribute to the understanding and knowledge on the challenges of safe water access and sanitation programs, and of partnerships as a promising path.”

Priyanka.pani@thehindu.co.in

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