ODIAL SOLUTIONS reveals its strategy and strengthens its network

ODIAL SOLUTIONS reveals its strategy and strengthens its African partners network

Picture caption: photograph of the participants in the PARTNERSHIP DAYS 2017.

The ODIAL SOLUTIONS group receives 10 heads of partner companies from 10 subsaharian countries, from the 28^th to the 30^th of September in its headquarters (Ingré, France). “Although 17 of our African partners have not been able to join us because they did not receive their visas, for incomprehensible reasons, this event, full of brainstorming sessions, information sessions and cultural trips, is the opportunity to strengthen our powerful and active network and to introduce to our partners the strategy of the group, the activities of our new subsidiary UDUMA and our commitment to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles of the UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT”, specifies Thierry BARBOTTE, ODIAL SOLUTIONS CEO.

Today, the majority of the countries facing a low rate of access to drinking water are in Sub-Sahara Africa. To be precise, 400 million of rural people do not have any access to safe water in this region. However, the share of the overseas development assistance dedicated to water and sanitation in Africa is decreasing ever since 2013. It was even reduced by half between 2013 and 2015. “It is now 10 times lower than the necessary amount for achieving the Goal 6 (“Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UNITED NATIONS, adopted by the world leaders in September 2015.”

A new funding model to ensure access to drinking water in Sub-Sahara Africa

“We are therefore obliged to invent a new funding model to ensure access to drinking water in Sub-Sahara Africa. Our new subsidiary UDUMA explores a revolutionary model”. On behalf of the local authorities and communities, UDUMA rehabilitates, operates and manages public manual pumps, which are often the only source of clean drinking water. UDUMA equips the pumps with water meters and data loggers. UDUMA guarantees a continuous water service with a 72-hour max downtime, at an affordable tariff.

“In practice, in a village which choses to delegate its drinking water supply service to UDUMA, each inhabitant has an e-card which enables them to buy, from certified pump operators, quantities of water they need. These cards are credited in dedicated kiosks or online.” An original model which is taking shape. Indeed, the young company UDUMA has launched its first Public Private Partnership, Wednesday the 20^th of September 2017 in Bamako. UDUMA vies to provide 560.000 people in rural Mali (1,400 manual pumps, SIKASSO Region) with drinking water for the next 15 years.

Its will to extend its CSR policy

Yet it must be noted that this event is the opportunity for the ODIAL SOLUTIONS group to officially announce its will to extend its CSR policy and to involve all its subsidiaries in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). “VERGNET HYDRO has been a member of the UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT for 7 years now. From now on, the ODIAL SOLUTIONS group and all its subsidiaries vie to respect the GLOBAL COMPACT’s 10 principles linked to the respect of human rights, international labor rights, environmental rights and anti-corruption.”

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The event in pictures