A Joint Declaration was signed on 27th February 2023 in Bari, Italy between UNIDO ITPO Italy and Acquedotto Pugliese (AQP) with the goal of boosting research and development in the water systems and wastewater sectors of developing countries worldwide.

“The United Nations identified the water crisis as a key area of intervention, and therefore included it within the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. Starting from this collaboration between UNIDO ITPO Italy and Acquedotto Pugliese — underlined UNIDO ITPO Italy Head Ms. Diana Battaggia — we will be able to develop and implement effective solutions to help guarantee access to safe and clean water, advancing progress by innovation toward an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, in line with UNIDO's mandate”.

Building on the first successful collaboration between UNIDO ITPO Italy and AQP on the occasion of an expert study mission to Cuba — aimed to analyze and develop innovative solutions for the phenomenon of saline intrusion in the Camagüey region — this official partnership agreement specifically focuses on promoting technical assistance, training activities, consultancy services, technology transfer, sharing of best practices, joint research projects and capacity building of business communities and institutions from Italy and targeted developing countries around the world, in order to improve the management of local water resources through increased international public-private collaborations in the field.