Greetings! While I usually spend late August in Sweden for World Water Week, I'm taking a break from the annual global water gathering this year. Fear not, however! AGWA is on the ground in Stockholm and as busy as ever - you can read more about our programming in the body of the newsletter below.

While the decision to skip World Water Week this year has resulted in a fair amount of personal FOMO, I am soothing myself with the knowledge that my garden tomatoes will not suffer from a full week (or more) of neglect at the height of their late-summer productivity, and I am happily eating pan con tomate for breakfast every day this week while watching World Water Week sessions online. True, it's no substitute for freshly baked kardemummabullar, but hey, I'm not complaining. If you're in Stockholm this week, please eat all the pastries for me!

This decision has also allowed for a bit more of a considered transition from summer into the hectic fall schedule, which this year feels even busier than ever for AGWA. There is of course the upcoming NY Climate Week and the UNFCCC COP (more on both below), but we are also gearing up for the implementation of Phase II of the Water Resilience Tracker (WRT) in 5 countries (Brazil, Nepal, Egypt, Panama, and Malawi), as well as preparing for some exciting new collaborations on the horizon.

Despite the excitement, there is also a lot of uncertainty; like many others, our work has been impacted by shifting geopolitics, changing donor priorities, and new challenges for water resources, such as the rapid and largely unregulated expansion of water-intensive data centers fueled by the AI revolution. In true AGWA fashion, we try to look for opportunity in the challenges, and I am confident we will meet the moment as best we can.

Ahead of World Water Week this year, several members of the WRT team met in London to reflect on progress thus far, as well as the additional resources needed to meet the demands of the countries we are supporting. In nearly every case, the asks from the countries in terms of technical or capacity assistance are greater than our modest programmatic budget can support. However, one of the values of the WRT is our ability to leverage institutional knowledge and resources to attract new partners - including funding to support the priorities identified by the countries with whom we work.

Four people sitting on chairs facing audience during a panel discussion — Panel Discussion during Water Resilience Tracker workshop, London, August 2025

AGWA's real comparative advantage has always been its members and partners. None of our work can be done alone. This past Saturday, following the WRT workshop in London, AGWA held its 15th annual members meeting. Our members include governments, businesses, non-profits, academia, finance institutions, independent researchers, UN agencies, and many more. The collective brain power in that room alone was impressive, and I am always humbled by the high caliber of individuals who want to work with us.

While the network we have built over the past 15 years is impressive, now is not the time to sit back and pat ourselves on the back. Building water resilience is a long-term proposition and we have a long way to go. For that reason, I am grateful to have so many friends and colleagues by my side as we struggle towards a better tomorrow. Thank you for being a part of the community, and we look forward to many more years of solidarity and collaboration.

Ingrid Timboe
Portland, Oregon USA

15 Years Strong: Building Resilience Together