...The regional dialogue brought together senior managers ofthe water sector from national and local governments, regulatory agencies, utilities and private domestic water service providers, as well as civil society, think tanks and thelocal media. Also present were multilateral and bilateraldonor agencies2 and international development organizations.331 The Conference was opened by Hon. Mutua Katuku, Kenyan Minister for Water and Irrigation. 2 They include the World Bank, WSPAfrica, GTZ, UNDP, African Development Bank, SIDA, UN-Habitat, French Embassy, Danida, European Investment Bank, WaterAid, Care International, among development agencies involved in water and sanitation. 3 The UN Secretary Generals Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) was represented by its vice-chair, Dr Uschi Eid.The conference was called to focus attention and stimulateaction on how to resolve critical water supply, water safetyand sanitation access issues for the majority of urban poorin Africa. With less than ten years left to attain the Millennium Development Goals on water supply and sanitation to halve the proportion of people without access to basicwater and sanitation services by 2015 Sub-SaharanAfrica is still the region most off-track with respect toachieving these global targets. The most vulnerable arepoor communities, especially women and children living inAfricas fast growing suburbia of low-income settlements.The dialogue therefore focused on searching for solutionsto step up and sustain the pace at which the urban poorcan gain access to improved water and sanitation services

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