The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s Development Finance Institution, this week welcomed The Water Council to the OPIC Partners Program. The Milwaukee-based Water Council aligns the world’s freshwater industry and research communities to promote access to water technology and innovation as a key pillar of economic development.
As a participant in the OPIC Partners Program, The Water Council can connect its network of globally-minded, U.S.-based innovators with OPIC’s unique development finance tools and four decades of development finance experience leveraging U.S. business growth in global emerging markets.
To inaugurate the partnership, the two organizations co-hosted a seminar on April 28 at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee for small businesses seeking to enter international markets. The seminar provided education on OPIC products and services to enable U.S. business growth in developing countries.
“We are excited to join OPIC’s Partners Program in an effort to present further opportunities for our members to foster economic development in overseas emerging markets,” said Dean Amhaus, president and CEO of The Water Council. “Wisconsin is truly one of the world’s most significant hubs for water research and industry. As water technology exports increase, OPIC will be a great resource for our companies.”
“Partnering with forward-thinking groups like The Water Council allows OPIC to better carry out our mission of catalyzing the private sector for life-improving global development impact,” said Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC’s President and CEO. “The Water Council’s promotion of the intrepid work in the U.S. clean water access sector aligns with OPIC’s goal to show what American business innovation can achieve when it turns its attention to global development. I look forward to the products of this partnership.”
The only organization of its kind in the United States, The Water Council is capturing the attention of the world and transforming the Milwaukee region into a World Water Hub for freshwater research, economic development and education.
OPIC offers U.S. businesses financing and political risk insurance to enable their growth in developing markets. OPIC’s mission is to catalyze private capital as a tool for global development by leveraging investment in high impact sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, food security, housing for the poor and clean water access. Partnership with The Water Council will allow businesses and researchers in the water sector to learn about how OPIC tools can help them realize progress in their business ventures.