World Bank launches 'Water Forward' programme to tackle global water stress

LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) - The World Bank and other top development lenders launched a new global initiative dubbed Water Forward on Wednesday, aimed at improving secure water access for a billion people within the next four years.The programme seeks to boost investment in water management while encouraging governments to treat water as a strategic economic resource rather than a low-cost public utility. It will focus on mobilising private capital and philanthropic money alongside public funding, the World Bank said.