Report: Build Neglect Rebuild Deep Dive

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On 10 July 2024, we organised a deep dive meeting in The Hague focused on issues concerning the Build Neglect Rebuild (BNR) cycle and its impact on water infrastructure sustainability. The event brought together 30 diverse participants from government institutions, academia, private stakeholders, financiers, and NGOs. Key activities during the meeting included:

Three experiences shared by representatives of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), highlighting the importance of long-term thinking, local engagement, and adaptive approaches in water infrastructure projects.

A “fishbowl” discussion to explore root causes of the BNR cycle, featuring insights from Maarten Gischler (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Mathijs van Ledden (the World Bank).

Main themes discussed included:

The need for long-term planning in infrastructure projects (10-40 years)
Analysis of affordability challenges at multiple levels
The importance of being socially embedded and stakeholder engagement
Cultural and regional differences in maintenance approaches
The critical role of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) in project sustainability

Group work sessions focused on three levels: global systemic, national development programme, and project level.

And finally, key suggestions from group discussions included:

Adopting long-term transition approaches
Prioritising locally led initiatives
Exploring innovative financing methods
Focusing on service delivery rather than just infrastructure building
Emphasising co-creation and inclusive decision-making processes

The meeting concluded with a call for continued advocacy for international collaboration in the water sector, in light of potential budget cuts in the Netherlands.

Want to know everything that was discussed? Please read the full report.

Download the full report here