UN decision to declare 2008 as the "International Year of Sanitation" (IYS) in 2006

• UNSGAB suggests IYS within the Hashimoto Action Plan (February 2006)
• Decision by the UN to declare 2008 as IYS (December 2006)

SuSanA kick-off meeting in January 2007 (Eschborn/ Germany)

• Core group of around 20 organisations active in sustainable sanitation
• Aim to coordinate activities for IYS 2008
• Resulted in high response and many partners showing interest
• Decision to form an open network on Sustainable Sanitation
• First draft of a joint roadmap for the promotion of sustainable sanitation within the IYS 2008
• Establishment of various working groups

2nd SuSanA meeting in Dübendorf (Switzerland, April 2008)

• 40 participants from more than 30 organisations
• Group widened focus and emphasised to support all approaches
• Aiming at the overall sustainability of sanitation systems
• Official decision on the name ‚Sustainable Sanitation Alliance‘

3rd SuSanA meeting in Stockholm (Sweden, August 2008)

• 90 participants from around 50 multi and bilateral organisations, NGOs and research institutions
• Endorsement of the joint SuSanA statement

4th SuSanA meeting in New Delhi (India, November 2008)

• Held in conjunction with the World Toilet Summit
• Around 100 participants from around 70 different organisations

• Held in conjunction with AfricaSan+5
• Around 110 participants from more than 60 organisations

6th SuSanA meeting in New York (USA, May 2008)

• Special focus on structure and financing

• Held in conjunction with the World Water Week
• Around 110 participants from approx. 60 organisations

• Held in conjunction with the World Toilet Summit
• 64 participants from approx. 40 organisations

• Held in conjunction with WEDEC conference in Addis
• 96 participants from approx. 65 organisations

• Held in conjunction with the World Water Week
• Around 79 participants from approx. 60 organisations

• Held in conjunction with Latinosan II and World Urban Forum 5
• Around 44 participants from approx. 35 organisations

• Held prior to the Stockholm World Water Week
• Around 62 participants

• Held prior to the AfricaSan 3 that took place in Kigali
• Around 107 participants

• Held prior to the Stockholm World Water Week 2011 
• Around 53 participants