The Global Water Partnership (gwp) was launched with the first consultative group meeting held in Stockholm on August 9 this year. The idea of the gwp was conceived at the fifth Stockholm Water Symposium held in August, 1995. The meeting was attended by 184 participants from 57 countries. While the developing countries were represented by 70 delegates, 114 participants hailed from developed nations. It is hoped that membership to the gwp will continue to expand and become more inclusive.

The key speaker at the inaugural meeting was Kader Asmal, the South African minister of water affairs and forestry. He outlined the gwp 's aims of leadership, coordination and action to achieve the sustainable and equitable development of water resources. Asmal urged the gwp partners to be particularly attentive to the issue of equality if the organisation was to succeed in fulfilling its declared aims.

However, the gwp 's support to the Dublin Principles, also incorporated in Agenda 21