April 5, 2023 – Djibouti News Gazette

April 5, 2023

Vivid Sydney 2023 Serves Up Biggest Program Yet

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / April 05, 2023 / Vivid Sydney will deliver the biggest and most culturally relevant program in its event history when it returns in 2023 from Friday 26 May to Saturday 17 June.Lighting of the Sails – Vivid Sydney – Sydney Opera House

Australia’s largest event and the pioneer of light-based art and culture festivals in the Asia-Pacific region has assembled some of the world’s most innovative artists, talented music makers and thought leaders as part of its 2023 lineup, which also recognises the significant contribution of First Nations peoples and cultures to the creative industries.

Inspired by the master of all creators, Mother Nature, this year’s theme, “Vivid Sydney, Naturally,” is reflected across all of the 300+ activations and events that make up the 23-day program.

Vivid Sydney Light Walk’s signature Sydney Opera House Lighting of the Sails will see the vibrant works of one of Australia’s most famed artists, John Olsen , brought to life as a spectacular tribute to his illustrious artistic career of more than 60 years. Life Enlivened (2023) will include Olsen’s evocative Salute to Five bells (1971-73) mural commissioned especially for the Northern Foyer of Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall, as well as other artworks spotlighting Olsen’s fascination with Australian landscapes and nature.

The Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House lineup will feature more than 40 Australian and international artists. José González , Yaeji , Ella Mai , Cat Power , Devonté Hynes and many more will take to the stages of the world-famous building in a program curated by Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall .

The Vivid Music program will spotlight First Nations and Australian voices this year. The late Archie Roach AC will be celebrated with an incredible night of performances with the late artist’s longtime friends and collaborators and special appearances by members of Roach’s family. There will also be 12 nights of free music at Tumbalong Park , Darling Harbour featuring Yothu Yindi , Dan Sultan , cult Japanese artist Cornelius and many more.

British author and “master of her material” Jeanette Winterson features at Vivid Ideas and will reflect on questions of identity, sexuality, religion and more to unpack the idea of nature in LIFE AND MARS: The Future of Human .

And for the first time, Vivid Sydney’s brand-new pillar – Vivid Food – will broaden the creative spotlight from Light, Music and Ideas to include culinary favourites and innovative food events. Work up an appetite for a fusion of street food; a barbecue of epic proportions with legendary pitmasters for Vivid Fire Kitchen at the Cutaway at Barangaroo; fine-dining experiences; and the return of 2022’s sell-out Vivid Sydney Dinner at the Ivy Ballroom, a special feast by esteemed Sydney chefs Ben Greeno and Danielle Alvarez .

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said Vivid Sydney has come of age and has evolved into a progressive and inclusive event that celebrates the best of an expanded definition of the creative industries in 2023.

“Vivid Sydney is the original festival of light, art and culture. 2023 is the 13th time it has been staged and so it has naturally evolved over time to ensure that it stays relevant to the creative industries and what that means to people today,” Minervini said.

“We are truly proud of this year’s program. We have raised the bar on the size and scale of the events and activated new parts of the city. Our lineup features more diverse talent across more industries.

“There are world-firsts and festival-firsts, and both free and ticketed events to make the festival accessible to everyone. Audiences should be prepared to be blown away by the calibre of talent and a program that has been inspired by the beauty and diversity of nature.

“Vivid Sydney’s 2023 program is a celebration of authenticity, an invitation to connect, and a chance to create. You do not want to miss Vivid Sydney 2023.”

Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said Vivid Sydney was the biggest and most loved annual event in the NSW calendar that, in 2023, would once again support the entire ecosystem of the state’s visitor economy. “Each year, visitors and Sydneysiders immerse themselves in the program and enjoy the activations of the talented creatives who make the festival so special. Last year we welcomed a record 2.58 million attendees across the festival footprint,” Cox said.

“Vivid Sydney 2022 injected $119 million into the NSW visitor economy. It is our expectation that with its expanded program and more international travellers returning to our shores, Vivid Sydney 2023 will drive even greater visitor expenditure into the NSW economy.”

Staged across Sydney’s city centre, Vivid Sydney festival locations include Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, Darling Quarter, Darling Square, The Goods Line, Central Station, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Carriageworks, Taronga Zoo and more.

MEDIA ASSETS

The full 2023 Vivid Sydney media kit, program announcement and high-res imagery, including 2023 Vivid Sydney light renders and broadcast-quality video footage of previous festival highlights, are available to download at www.vividsydney.com/news-room .

MEDIA CONTACTS

Greg Vekiarellis , Ogilvy PR
PH: +61 401 873 217
greg.vekiarellis@ogilvy.com.au

Jenna Whyte , Destination NSW
PH: +61 484 719 536
jenna.whyte@dnsw.com.au

ABOUT VIVID SYDNEY

Vivid Sydney is Australia’s largest festival celebrating creativity, innovation and technology, and transforms Sydney into a kaleidoscope of colour and events for 23 nights. Staged for its 13th year in 2023, Vivid Sydney will bring together mesmerising displays from the world’s brightest light artists, exhilarating live music performances, deep-dive discussions with thought leaders, and innovative experiences from food creatives. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.

Contact Information

Jenna Whyte
PR Manager
jenna.whyte@dnsw.com.au

Related Video

https://vimeo.com/807364026/acbc4fe650

SOURCE: Vivid Sydney

April 5, 2023

La plateforme événementielle de relations avec les investisseurs de Notified offre de nouvelles fonctionnalités en vue de créer des communications avec les parties prenantes qui soient engageantes et accessibles

Les dernières améliorations renforcent l’expérience utilisateur pour les journées d’annonce de résultats et de rencontre des investisseurs

NEW YORK, 04 avr. 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Notified, partenaire technologique mondialement reconnu pour les relations avec les investisseurs, les relations publiques et les professionnels du marketing, a annoncé aujourd’hui une série d’améliorations désormais disponibles sur sa plateforme événementielle de relations avec les investisseurs (RI), notamment des fonctionnalités étendues qui renforcent la conformité à l’accessibilité numérique et améliorent l’engagement des parties prenantes pour les journées d’annonce de résultats et de rencontre des investisseurs. Les derniers développements apportés à la plateforme permettent aux clients de Notified de répondre aux exigences de conformité tout en créant des événements à fort impact pour renforcer et étendre leur base d’actionnaires, en savoir plus sur leur communauté d’investisseurs et accéder aux données et aux analyses dont ils ont besoin pour prendre des décisions éclairées.

« Dans l’environnement commercial complexe d’aujourd’hui, la responsabilité d’une gestion réussie des communications entre la direction de l’entreprise et les parties prenantes est absolument critique », a déclaré Nimesh Davé, président de Notified. « Les sociétés veulent sensibiliser, accroître la visibilité et rester compétitives. Chez Notified, nous sommes déterminés à développer les outils qui donnent des moyens aux entreprises d’étendre la portée de leurs histoires en innovant dans les processus de RI traditionnels afin de répondre aux attentes en constante évolution des investisseurs et, en fin de compte, de soutenir des résultats commerciaux fructueux. Les dernières améliorations apportées à la plateforme événementielle de RI de Notified permettent l’innovation en offrant flexibilité et optionnalité, tout en garantissant une conformité et une sécurité à la pointe de l’industrie. »

Un snippet média accompagnant ce communiqué de presse est disponible en sélectionnant l’image ou le lien ci-dessous :

Ces améliorations incluent :

Conformité et accessibilité numérique améliorées : les lecteurs de webdiffusion de Notified sont régulièrement évalués et mis à jour en fonction de l’évolution des exigences d’accessibilité, en partenariat avec le fournisseur de solutions d’accessibilité numérique Level Access. La webdiffusion rehaussée de la plateforme événementielle de RI présente une expérience utilisateur améliorée qui soutient nos clients en respectant les normes de niveau AA des Règles pour l’accessibilité des contenus Web (WCAG 2.1), y compris la compatibilité des lecteurs d’écran.
Nouvelles mises en page personnalisées : de nouveaux outils comme un hall d’accueil et un compte à rebours sont disponibles pour créer de l’enthousiasme envers des événements très attendus. Les sociétés peuvent adapter l’aspect et la convivialité de l’intégralité de leur site Web en transformant les webdiffusions en microsites à une ou plusieurs pages.
Engagement puissant des parties prenantes : les utilisateurs finaux ont un contrôle accru de leur expérience, y compris la capacité à gérer la vitesse de lecture pour le contenu en direct et à la demande, le Live DVR pour mettre en pause et reprendre sans rien manquer, et une fonctionnalité d’incrustation d’image pour les webdiffusions vidéo.
Optionnalité et évolutivité : la plateforme événementielle de RI de Notified est disponible en modes Essentiel et Expert – ces nouvelles versions de produits flexibles permettent aux équipes chargées des RI de sélectionner une solution qui répond à leurs besoins et budgets uniques, tout en assurant l’inclusivité et l’accessibilité pour tous les utilisateurs.

« La plateforme événementielle de RI de Notified permet aux équipes des finances de tirer le meilleur parti des communications requises : elle est spécialement conçue pour les communications avec les investisseurs et les rapports d’entreprise », a indiqué Erik Carlson, directeur de l’exploitation et directeur financier de Notified. « Nous avons donné la priorité aux fonctions et à la fonctionnalité dont dépendent nos clients afin de respecter les normes d’aujourd’hui (y compris une livraison, une sécurité, un service client et une flexibilité inégalés), tout en permettant l’innovation future. »

Grâce à des décennies d’expérience du marché, Notified est le fournisseur numéro 1 de webdiffusions de RI et un fournisseur de confiance pour 88 % des entreprises du Fortune 100. En plus de sa certification Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC2), elle continue de travailler en partenariat avec les principaux conseillers en accessibilité de l’industrie pour les webdiffusions et les sites Web, solidifiant ainsi la capacité de Notified d’atteindre les objectifs des clients tout en maintenant la sécurité et l’accessibilité. La suite de solutions complètes de la société permet aux entreprises d’atteindre efficacement les clients, les investisseurs, les employés et les médias et de susciter leur engagement, de la diffusion des communiqués de presse via GlobeNewswire aux téléconférences sur les résultats, en passant par les sites Web de RI, l’écoute sociale, l’engagement des médias, les webinaires et les expériences numériques.

« C’est très gratifiant de soutenir des entreprises qui partagent notre engagement envers la création d’un monde numérique plus équitable », a commenté Tim Springer, PDG de Level Access. « Notified a donné la priorité à l’accessibilité numérique en développant des expériences inclusives pour ses clients et continue de prioriser l’accessibilité afin de s’aligner sur les nouvelles versions de fonctionnalités. Nous ne pourrions pas être plus fiers de notre travail accompli ensemble sur la plateforme événementielle de RI, et nous ne doutons pas que notre collaboration se poursuivra afin de changer le status quo pour une inclusion en ligne à l’avenir. »

Pour en savoir plus sur la plateforme événementielle de RI de Notified, rendez-vous sur la page : https://www.notified.com/IR/earnings-day

À propos de Notified :
Notified est déterminée à faciliter pour les marques la création et le partage d’histoires percutantes avec le monde. Notre suite de solutions de classe mondiale primées et notre équipe dédiée du service client sont utilisées par plus de 10 000 clients mondiaux, allant d’entreprises en pleine croissance et de sociétés cotées à certaines des marques les plus connues dans le monde.

Les solutions de Notified aident les entreprises à partager et à amplifier efficacement leurs histoires avec les clients, les investisseurs, les employés et les médias. De la distribution des communiqués de presse via GlobeNewswire aux téléconférences sur les résultats, en passant par les sites Web des relations avec les investisseurs, l’écoute sociale, l’engagement des médias, les webinaires et les expériences numériques, Notified fait tout ce que vous pourriez souhaiter. Notified fait partie de West Technology Group, LLC (anciennement Intrado Corporation), qui est contrôlé par les sociétés affiliées de certains fonds gérés par Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE : APO). Le siège social de Notified est à New York, dans l’État de New York.

Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur le site www.notified.com ou suivez-nous sur LinkedIn, Twitter ou sur notre blog.

Contact :

Hannah Freedman

Directrice, Médias et communications

hannah.freedman@notified.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8802166

April 5, 2023

Plataforma de Eventos de Relações com Investidores da Notified Oferece Novos Recursos para Criação de Comunicações Interessantes e Acessíveis para as Partes Interessadas

Os mais recentes aprimoramentos ampliam a Experiência do Usuário nos Dias de Ganhos e do Investidor

NOVA YORK, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Notified, parceira de tecnologia de confiança em todo o mundo para profissionais de relações com investidores, relações públicas e marketing, anunciou hoje uma série de aprimoramentos já disponíveis na sua Plataforma de Eventos de Relações com Investidores (RI) – incluindo recursos expandidos que reforçam a conformidade com a acessibilidade digital e aumentam o envolvimento das partes interessadas nos dias de ganhos e dos investidores. Os desenvolvimentos recentes da plataforma viabilizam que os clientes da Notified atendam aos requisitos de conformidade nas criações de eventos de alto impacto para fortalecer e expandir sua base de acionistas, saber mais sobre sua comunidade de investimentos e acessar os insights e análises necessários para a tomada de decisões informadas.

“No complexo ambiente dos negócios de hoje, a responsabilidade do sucesso do gerenciamento das comunicações da liderança corporativa com as partes interessadas é absolutamente essencial”, disse Nimesh Davé, presidente da Notified. “As empresas querem aumentar a conscientização, aumentar a visibilidade e permanecer competitivas. A Notified está empenhada em desenvolver as ferramentas que capacitam as empresas a ampliar sua história, por meio da inovação dos processos tradicionais de RI para atender às expectativas dos investidores em constantes mudanças e, finalmente, com o apoio aos resultados de sucesso. Os mais recentes aprimoramentos da Plataforma de Eventos de RI da Notified viabilizam a inovação, com a oferta de flexibilidade e opções, garantindo a conformidade e a segurança líderes do setor.”

Para um Snippet de Mídia deste comunicado, selecione a imagem ou o link abaixo:

Esses aprimoramentos incluem:

Aprimoradas acessibilidade e conformidade digital: Os players de webcast da Notified são avaliados e atualizados constantemente quanto à evolução dos requisitos de acessibilidade, em parceria com o provedor de soluções de acessibilidade digital Level Access. O webcast aprimorado da Plataforma de Eventos de RI proporciona uma experiência de usuário atualizada que ajuda nossos clientes a atender aos padrões de Nível AA das Diretrizes de Acessibilidade de Conteúdo da Web (WCAG 2.1), incluindo a compatibilidade com o leitor de tela.
Novos layouts personalizados: Novas ferramentas, como um lobby de boas-vindas e um relógio de contagem regressiva, estão disponíveis para criar entusiasmo para eventos altamente antecipados. As empresas podem combinar a aparência total do site e transformar os webcasts em um ou vários microsites de página.
Envolvimento das partes interessadas: Maior controle da experiência dos usuários finais, incluindo a capacidade de gerenciar a velocidade da reprodução de conteúdo ao vivo e sob demanda, uso de DVR ao vivo para pausar e retomar sem perda de nada, e acesso a um recurso de picture-in-picture para webcasts de vídeo.
Opções e Escala: A Plataforma de Eventos de RI da Notified está disponível nos modos Essencial e Expert – versões novas e flexíveis dos produtos que viabilizam que as equipes de RI selecionem uma solução que atenda às suas necessidades e orçamentos exclusivos, garantindo a inclusão e a acessibilidade para todos os usuários.

“A Plataforma de Eventos de RI da Notified permite que as equipes de finanças aproveitem ao máximo as comunicações necessárias – ela foi criada especificamente para comunicações com investidores e relatórios corporativos”, disse Erik Carlson, COO e CFO da Notified. “Priorizamos os recursos e a funcionalidade dos quais nossos clientes dependem para atender aos padrões atuais – incluindo entrega, segurança, atendimento ao cliente e flexibilidade incomparáveis – ao mesmo tempo em que possibilitamos inovações futuras.”

Com décadas de experiência no mercado, a Notified é a fornecedora número1 de webcasts de RI e uma fornecedora confiável para 88% empresas da Fortune 100. Além de ser certificada pela Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC2), ela continua a fazer parcerias com consultores de acessibilidade líderes do setor para webcasts e sites, solidificando a capacidade da Notified de atingir as metas do cliente, mantendo, ao mesmo tempo, a segurança e a acessibilidade. O conjunto abrangente de soluções da empresa permite que as empresas alcancem e atraiam clientes, investidores, funcionários e a mídia – com a distribuição de comunicados de imprensa via GlobeNewswire e ligações de ganhos, sites de RI, escuta social, engajamento da mídia, webinars e experiências digitais.

“É muito gratificante apoiar as empresas que compartilham nosso compromisso de criar um mundo digital mais equitativo”, disse Tim Springer, CEO da Level Access. A Notified priorizou a acessibilidade digital criando experiências inclusivas para seus clientes e continua a priorizar a acessibilidade para se alinhar com novos lançamentos de recursos. Não poderíamos estar mais orgulhosos do nosso trabalho conjunto na Plataforma de Eventos de RI e estamos confiantes de que a nossa colaboração continuará a mudar o status quo da inclusão online no futuro.”

Para mais informações sobre a Plataforma de Eventos de RI da Notified, visite: https://www.notified.com/IR/earnings-day

Sobre a Notified:
A Notified está empenhada em facilitar a criação e o compartilhamento de histórias potentes de marcas com todo o mundo. Mais de 10.000 clientes globais, desde empresas em crescimento e empresas públicas, até algumas das marcas mais reconhecidas do mundo, contam com o nosso conjunto de soluções premiadas de categoria mundial e com a nossa dedicada equipe de atendimento ao cliente.

As soluções da Notified ajudam as empresas a compartilhar e ampliar suas histórias – para clientes, investidores, funcionários e mídia. Desde a distribuição de comunicados para a imprensa via GlobeNewswire até as ligações de ganhos, sites de RI, escuta social, engajamento da mídia, webinars e experiências digitais, a Notified tem você em mente. A Notified faz parte do West Technology Group, LLC (ex-Intrado Corporation) controlado por afiliadas de determinados fundos administrados pela Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). A Notified está localizada em New York, N.Y.

Saiba mais em www.notified.com ou siga-nos no LinkedIn, Twitter, ou nosso blog.

Contato:

Hannah Freedman

Diretora, Mídia e Comunicações

hannah.freedman@notified.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8802166

April 5, 2023

Notified’s Investor Relations Event Platform Delivers New Features to Create Engaging and Accessible Stakeholder Communications

Latest Enhancements Improve User Experience for Earnings and Investor Days

NEW YORK, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals, today announced a series of enhancements that are now available in its Investor Relations (IR) Event Platform – including expanded features that bolster digital accessibility compliance and improve stakeholder engagement for earnings and investor days. The latest developments to the platform enable Notified customers to meet compliance requirements while creating high-impact events to strengthen and expand their shareholder base, learn more about their investment community, and access the insights and analytics they need to make informed decisions.

“In today’s complex business environment, the responsibility of successfully managing communications between corporate leadership and stakeholders is absolutely critical,” said Nimesh Davé, president, Notified. “Companies want to raise awareness, increase visibility and stay competitive. At Notified, we are committed to developing the tools that empower companies to amplify their stories by innovating traditional IR processes to meet evolving investor expectations and ultimately support successful business outcomes. The latest enhancements to Notified’s IR Event Platform enable innovation by delivering flexibility and optionality, while ensuring industry-leading compliance and security.”

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by selecting the image or link below:

These enhancements include:

Enhanced Digital Accessibility and Compliance: Notified’s webcast players are regularly assessed and updated based on evolving accessibility requirements, in partnership with digital accessibility solution provider Level Access. The enhanced IR Event Platform webcast has an upgraded user experience that supports our customers in meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) Level AA standards, including screen reader compatibility.
New, Customized Layouts: new tools such as a welcome lobby and countdown clock are available to build excitement for highly anticipated events. Companies can match their full website look and feel by turning webcasts into one or multipage microsites.
Powerful Stakeholder Engagement: end users have increased control of their experience, including the ability to manage playback speed for both live and on-demand content, utilize live DVR to pause and resume without missing anything, and access to a picture-in-picture feature for video webcasts.
Optionality and Scalability: Notified’s IR Event Platform is available in Essentials and Expert modes – these new, flexible product versions enable IR teams to select a solution that meets their unique needs and budgets while ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all users.

“Notified’s IR Event Platform enables finance teams to make the most of required communications – it is purpose-built for investor communications and corporate reporting,” said Erik Carlson, COO and CFO, Notified. “We’ve prioritized the features and functionality that our clients depend on to meet today’s standards – including unmatched delivery, security, customer service and flexibility–while enabling future innovation.”

With decades of market experience, Notified is the #1 provider of IR webcasts and a trusted provider to 88% of the Fortune 100. In addition to being Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC2) certified, it continues to partner with industry leading accessibility advisors for webcasts and websites, solidifying Notified’s ability to reach client goals while maintaining security and accessibility. The company’s comprehensive suite of solutions enable businesses to effectively reach and engage customers, investors, employees and the media – from press release distribution via GlobeNewswire to earnings calls, IR websites, social listening, media engagement, webinars and digital experiences.

“It’s deeply rewarding to support businesses that share our commitment to creating a more equitable digital world,” said Tim Springer, CEO, Level Access. “Notified has prioritized digital accessibility by building inclusive experiences for its customers and continues to prioritize accessibility to align with new feature releases. We couldn’t be prouder of our work together on the IR Event Platform, and we’re confident our collaboration will continue to change the status quo for online inclusion in the future.”

To learn more about Notified’s IR Event Platform, visit: https://www.notified.com/IR/earnings-day

About Notified:
Notified is committed to making it easy for brands to create and share powerful stories with the world. Our suite of world-class, award-winning solutions and our dedicated customer service team are relied upon by more than 10,000 global customers, from growing businesses and public companies to some of the world’s most recognizable brands.

Notified’s solutions help businesses effectively share and amplify their stories—to customers, investors, employees and the media. From press release distribution via GlobeNewswire to earnings calls, IR websites, social listening, media engagement, webinars and digital experiences, Notified has you covered. Notified is a part of West Technology Group, LLC (formerly Intrado Corporation) controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). Notified is headquartered in New York, N.Y.

Learn more at www.notified.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or our blog.

Contact:

Hannah Freedman

Director, Media and Communications

hannah.freedman@notified.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8802163

April 5, 2023

State Pledges To Safeguard And Increase Water Supply In The Country

The Principal Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Paul Kiprono Ronoh has assured that the government is working to enhance and streamline the water sector through the management of utilities with proper governance structures. Speaking during a governance workshop in collaboration with Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) and Gatsby Africa held at a Mombasa hotel Ronoh said that through collaboration between the two levels of government, it is possible to bring consistent water supply to the local citizens in the village. The meeting is set to discuss water supply and governance in accelerating the vision to achieve the 2030 goal of ‘universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all and adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.’ ‘Good water governance is based on principles of good governance which includes equity, efficiency, participation, decentralization, integration, transparency and accountability and by improving water governance, we can achieve the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, address climate change and reverse environmental degradation,’ the PS said. Ronoh noted that more investment in improved water management and access to clean water can significantly increase food security in the country leading to drop in poverty levels. Climate disasters and water pollution can also be reduced by planting trees and wetlands in city planning to clean water and prevent flooding. Ronoh said that the Ministry is working to make water governance very transparent and tackle corruption. The Ministry in collaboration with WASREB devised a project dubbed ‘operation linda maji lipa maji’ to fight theft and illegal water connections which can attract a maximum penalty of ksh 100,000 if caught. ‘Corruption is among the top-ranked enemies of progress and development and the water sector is not spared. We have had rampant cases of ‘sex for water’ in the informal settlements in urban areas, inequitable distribution of the commodity by utilities and awarding of tenders to contractors of questionable backgrounds,’ Ronoh said. ‘Leaving no one behind’ is set to be the Ministry’s rallying call in all projects. A component of last mile connectivity in projects is one way to ensure inclusivity. ‘Marginalized communities must be made to feel they belong by giving them practical alternatives even when faced with difficult circumstances like the ongoing drought,’ he added. Chairperson Water, Forestry and Natural Resource Management Council of Governors who is also the Governor, Taita-Taveta, Shadrack Mwadime, said that it is critical to have the forums to advance and promote good governance in the water sector to ensure efficient and sustainable framework for water and sanitation services delivery in Counties. ‘Noting the existing and emerging water sector issues in the country, it is imperative to engage on all policy issues both with the Ministry and its agencies for a deliberate and well guided direction in delivering the mandate of water service provision for Kenyans,’ Mwadime said. Mwadime implored the forum to deliberate and arrive to policy decisions on certain matters that included sustainable rural water and sanitation supply especially water access in rural and under-served areas, looking into funding mechanisms for rural water services infrastructure development, operations and management of community water supply schemes and rehabilitation of boreholes. Other resolutions the meeting is looking to achieve are: Alignment of the Water Act 2016 to Functional Assignments and Principles of Devolution, strengthening intergovernmental collaboration in the water sector including relationship building, identification of mega dams and prioritization by County Governments, looking also on implementation of the Water Purchase Agreements and Implementation of the National Water and Sanitation Investment Program.

Source: Kenya News Agency