This report was prepared by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director, as part of the Programme of Work and Budget of the Regional Development Policy Committee. It is the result of a one-year policy dialogue with 200+ stakeholders from public, private, non-profit sectors and representatives from across all levels of government in Argentina.
The report was co‑ordinated by Antonio Canamas Catala, Policy Analyst, under the supervision of Aziza Akhmouch, Head of the Cities, Urban Policies and Sustainable Development Division in the CFE. The report was drafted by a core team of OECD policy analysts comprised of Elisa Elliott Alonso (Chapter 1), Antonio Canamas Catala (Chapters 2 and 3) and Maria Salvetti (Chapter 4). Special thanks are conveyed to Celine Kauffmann, Deputy-Head of Division in the OECD Public Governance Directorate and to Kathleen Dominique, Policy Analyst in the OECD Environment Directorate, for their participation in missions and comments provided on earlier drafts.
The OECD Secretariat is grateful for the high-level political impetus and commitment from the Secretary of Infrastructure and Water Policy of Argentina (Secretaría de Infraestructura y Política Hídrica, SIPH), Pablo J. Bereciartua, and for the strategic engagement of Sergio Campos and Henry Moreno from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Special thanks are herein conveyed to the excellent local team directed by Emilio J. Lentini, Advisor to Secretary Pablo J. Bereciartua, and composed of Ricardo Ferreyra, Water Resources National Director; Juan M. Koutoudjian, Water Services National Director; and other members of the SIPH, including, Nurit Weitz, Carlos Cazorla, Alejandra Mackluf, Ana Sofía Miño Foncuberta, José M. Regueira, Melina Tobías, María Laura Rustichelli, Pablo Storani, Federico Luciani and María V. Riera. Warm thanks to Pablo Kaloghlian and Pilar Sztyrle for their relentless dedication in facilitating institutional relations and logistics throughout the dialogue. Sincere thanks to IDB specialists Gustavo Gonnelli and Jorge Oyamada for their effective co‑operation and contribution to technical discussions. Marcelo Scaglione, Undersecretary for Argentina OECD Accession, María José Pelliza and Laura Buchet from the Undersecretariat are also herein acknowledged for their co‑ordination.
Furthermore, the policy dialogue benefited from insights from peer reviewers who contributed through their valuable expertise and country experience, participated in missions and provided international best practices as well as guidance on the report, namely: Mónica A. Altamirano, Program Manager, Finance for Adaptive Planning at Deltares (Netherlands); Oscar Cordeiro Netto, Director of the National Water Agency (Brazil); Gonzalo Delacámara, Head of the Department of Water Economics (Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies, Spain); Lewis Moeller, Project Manager for the California Water Plan (United States); and Adam Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of the Essential Services Commission (South Australia)
As part of an inclusive and bottom-up consultation process, the draft report was shared for comments with many stakeholders from Argentina who were engaged throughout the policy dialogue via interviews, seminars and workshops. Special thanks are conveyed to the following for their written comments on earlier drafts: Victor Vázquez (World Bank); Gustavo V. Gonnelli (IDB); Carlota Real (CAF); Javier García Espil (Secretariat of the Environment and Sustainable Development); Sebastian A. Bonet and Jorge Nuñez (ASSA); Arnaldo Zapata (Secretary of Water and Sanitation of the province of Santa Fe); Alberto Armas (Undersecretary of the province of Santa Fe); Alberto Monfrini (ERAS); José L. Inglese (AySA); Héctor Manceñido, Alfredo Guller and Manuel Abajas Rodríguez (APLA); Ana C. Herrero (User Ombudswoman of ERAS); Sergio Marinelli, Mónica M. Andino and Ruben Villodas (General Department of Irrigation, province of Mendoza); Rosana Kuravsky (Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries); Mariano Laffaye (Under Secretariat of Agriculture); Virginia A. Pacini (National University of Rosario); Gabriela Agosto, Laila Brandy and Nicolás Todesca (National Council for Social Policy Coordination); Juan J. Böckel (Ombudsman of the Nation); Ruben A. Soliani and Guillermo Valentino (National Budget Office); Maria J. de Lazzer (Embassy of the Netherlands); Leandro Raúl Díaz and Maria J. Fioriti (Argentine Water Forum); Ana Mugetti (Argentinian Institute of Water Resources); Marta I. Litter (UNSAM); Ricardo M. Ceriale (FEDECOBA); Julio C. L. Vargas Yegros (COHIFE); and Marcelo Gaviño Novillo (AIC).
An earlier version of this report was discussed at the 11th meeting of the OECD Water Governance Initiative (20-21 June 2019, Berlin, Germany). The report was submitted for approval by written procedure to the Regional Development Policy Committee on 18 September 2019 under the cote CFE/RDPC(2019)10.
Special thanks are extended to François Iglesias and Pilar Philip for preparing the report for publication, and to Jennifer Allain for editing and formatting the report.