CSO and World Bank Dialogue meeting a success!

Well as you know, one very stubborn volcano in Iceland kept me from Washington DC (and our key meeting on the World Bank-Civil Society Dialogues). Nearly.

But when you work for a network of networks — and have so many experts and allies working together (and innovating!) — there is always a plan B.

FAN was not only well represented in Washington DC by Yakub Hossein, from FANSA, Edward Kairu from ANEW and Steve Cockburn from the End Water Poverty Campaign, FAN members and other committed ‘dialogue-ers’ joined the meeting by video conference from sites around the world — New Delhi, Nairobi, Gaborone and Addis Ababa — bringing energy, ideas and commitment to continue our dialogue with the World Bank.

I was also able to join by video conference from London with Danielle Morley FAN Executive Secretary and Timeyin Uwejamomere from WaterAid.

The Bank prioritized this meeting at a high-level — we were joined by John Garrison, Head of Civil Society at the Bank, Julia Bucknall (Sector Manager for the Water Anchor) Cathy Revels (Lead Water and Sanitation Expert), Jaeyong So, (Manager of the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), and Bob Roche (dialogue consultant extraordinaire with several decades of experience at the Bank) and that is just for a start.

As the discussion took off I could barely move my pen fast enough trying to capture all the experience and ideas coming in from everywhere.

I will be putting together an account of everything we discussed today — but for now just a quick note of thanks (while those in New Delhi get some sleep and those in Washington DC carry on with all the exciting events for the High Level Meeting on Sanitation and Water) to everyone who was able to join and those who have supported this process in other ways over the last few years.

If you were part of the meeting today — please share your thoughts! Let everyone know where you joined from, why you joined and what you thought of the meeting.

Would also love to hear from those who have participated in other ways and (of course!) those who are interested in getting more engaged.

One of the things we agreed in the meeting was that we would use this blog as a way to keep the dialogue flowing in between the ‘face to face.’

More details to follow!

Tomorrow we will learn more about what they are getting up to in Washington DC.

Good morning, good afternoon and goodnight all. Kolleen

Check out what the World Bank is saying so far about the Spring Meetings

http://blogs.worldbank.org/meetings/

John Garrison’s Blog

http://blogs.worldbank.org/publicsphere/blog/67

Julia Bucknall’s Blog

http://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/blogs/julia-bucknall

Tags: ANEW, Annual Spring Meetings, Civil Society, dialogue, FAN, FANSA, HLM, World Bank