The focus of this year's conference is on 'Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Sustainable Development and Multisectoral Approaches'. Improving water supplies and environmental sanitation has moved from being a subject only for technical specialists to one involving a wide range of people, from policy-makers to community workers, from social scientists and economists to faith-based groups and campaigners for women's rights. Governments, communities and the natural environment are complex; sustainable development requires action from various perspectives to make a lasting positive change. The WEDC International Conference is a highly respected, global platform for practitioners, decision makers, academics and researchers who lead water and sanitation innovation in developing countries. By invitation of the Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources, this 34th WEDC Conference will take place in Addis Ababa and will showcase experience from around the world.