Over the years, I’ve learned that the most sustainable impact doesn’t come from delivering services alone — it comes from enabling government systems to own and expand them.
In Ethiopia, while coordinating the WASH Cluster at national and regional levels during successive drought, cholera, and conflict responses, a core part of the role was aligning partners with government priorities, strengthening national and regional systems, and gradually shifting from pure emergency coordination toward resilience and institutional capacity.In Bangladesh, while leading a multi-million-dollar response and coordinating 38+ partners in Cox’s Bazar, we worked closely with local authorities and host community institutions. The goal was never just emergency coverage — it was creating pathways for government leadership and longer-term integration.
Similar lessons emerged while engaging with the Palestinian Water Authority, municipalities, and other national structures. Advocacy and technical support had to move hand-in-hand with resource mobilisation if we wanted lasting results.
Even earlier in my career in India (with WASMO and other programmes), I saw how technical support to state and local institutions — including Gram Panchayats — multiplies reach far beyond what any single organisation can deliver alone.
A few reflections that stay with me:
- Government partnership is not a checkbox. It requires consistent presence, technical credibility, and genuine respect for existing systems.
- Localisation of coordination works best when it strengthens — not bypasses — national architecture.
- Real scale happens when public resources and government delivery mechanisms are successfully leveraged.
- Whether international agencies or the UN respond to a crisis or not, the government will respond and will remain. Supporting their systems is therefore not optional — it is essential.
#WASH #Localisation #GovernmentPartnership #Humanitarian #Development #SouthAsia #InstitutionalStrengthening #WASHCluster
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