By Olivier Hoedeman and Nami Yamamoto, CEO/TNI Water Justice Project[1] , May 2006

The Fourth World Water Forum in Mexico City (March 16-22 2006) showed that the international debate about water and sanitation is at crossroads. After the unashamed promotion of privatisation at the previous editions of the World Water Forum (The Hague in 2000 and Kyoto in 2003), the Mexico City conference indicated a growing recognition of the widespread failures of private sector water management and the need to prioritise improved public water supply. Civil society movements are gearing up to make the most of the window of opportunity that was very visible during the Mexico City events.