Former Prime Minister of Mongolia H.E. LUVSANNAMSRAIN Oyun-Erdene appointed Global Champion to advance US$150 billion Asia-Pacific water investment ambition

The Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) has announced the appointment of H.E. Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, Former Prime Minister of Mongolia, as GWPO Global Champion and Special Envoy for the Asia-Pacific High-Level Panel on Water and Climate Resilience Investments. 

H.E. Oyun-Erdene’s appointment is an important step towards mobilising high-level political leadership to address Asia-Pacific’s growing water and climate resilience challenges, with a view to substantially increase investment in the sector.

“Water is the lifeblood and security of our planet and peace,” said H.E. Oyun-Erdene. “To protect the land, we must protect our water sources and the resources.”

As Prime Minister of Mongolia, between 2021 and 2025, H.E. Oyun-Erdene laid out multiple priorities for water security in the water-stressed country including integrating mining and water infrastructure planning, protecting 30% of Mongolia’s land by 2030, and advanced regional cooperation given the impact of climate change on herders’ nomadic livelihoods. 

Towards Asia-Pacific’s goal to mobilise US$150bn 

The Asia-Pacific High-Level Panel on Water and Climate Resilience Investments will bring together Heads of State and Government and other leaders around an Asia-Pacific Water Investment Programme with the ambition of influencing at least US$150 billion in climate-resilient water investments by 2030. The target is linked to estimates by the Asian Development Bank, which quantify the water investment gap in the region at US$150bn per year. GWPO is working with regional and global partners to support the establishment of the Panel, which is proposed to formally launch at the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi in December 2026. 

As Global Champion and Special Envoy of the Panel, H.E. Oyun-Erdene will strengthen political commitment to water security, climate resilience and investment across Asia and the Pacific. 

“H.E. Oyun-Erdene brings a rare combination of diplomatic credibility and firsthand experience confronting water scarcity as a national leader. His appointment strengthens our ability to mobilise political will and investment across Asia-Pacific, a region where water security and climate resilience are inseparable challenges,” said Hon. Pablo Bereciartua, GWPO Chair.  

He will also champion the Asia-Pacific water investment agenda at selected regional and global political and economic forums and promote stronger Africa-Asia-Pacific and South-South leadership exchange on water investment and climate resilience. H.E. Oyun-Erdene’s appointment runs through 31 December 2030. 

From Africa to Asia-Pacific and beyond: scaling political leadership for water investment

The Asia-Pacific panel builds on the experience of the 2016-2018 High-Level Panel on Water jointly established by UN and World Bank, as well as the African Union-African Water Investment Programme International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa. The Asia Pacific Panel will complement efforts by the Asian Development Bank towards regional water security, as informed by its Asian Water Development Outlook 2025, as well as the Water Forward initiative by the World Bank and others across the region. 

“Closing the water investment gap requires more than technical solutions. It requires sustained political leadership capable of bringing governments, development and climate finance institutions and investors together around investment priorities,” said Alex Simalabwi, CEO and Executive Secretary of GWPO. 

The appointment also provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation and learning between Asia-Pacific, Africa as well as Latin America and Caribbean, where partners are advancing a similar initiative. 

Announcement made at new Ambassadors’ Forum on Water

The appointment of H.E. Oyun-Erdene as Special Envoy for the Asia-Pacific High-Level Panel on Water and Climate Resilience Investments was announced during the Ambassadors’ Forum

H.E. Oyun-Erdene’s appointment was announced during World Water Week 2026, at the inauguration of the Global Ambassadors’ Forum on Water and Economic Diplomacy, a new diplomatic platform to strengthen the connection between water diplomacy, economic cooperation and investment. The launch brought together diplomatic and government representatives from 28 countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, demonstrating broad international interest in strengthening water and economic diplomacy. 

The Forum is an ongoing and non-binding platform will convene alongside major water-related events worldwide, with three key objectives: (1) to mobilise diplomatic leadership that can sustain water as a strategic priority; (2) to position water at the centre of global agendas; and (3) to connect diplomacy with implementation and delivery.

Approximately 30 Countries were represented at the Launch of the Ambassadors’ Forum on Water 25 August 2026 in Stockholm, Sweden, at the sidelines of the 2026 World Water Week

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