Contacts

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+234 9096074166

KM Onboarding 21June2023
News

Introductory Meeting with AMCOW Knowledge Management Focal Points

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has organised an introductory meeting for its first batch of knowledge management (KM) focal persons from 13 member states. It is a significant step forward in its commitment to enhancing KM in the water and sanitation sector. This initiative aligns with the Africa Water and Sanitation Knowledge Management Challenge, launched by AMCOW during the Stockholm World Water Week 2021.

26 Focal Points (14 males, 12 females) attended the meeting, representing Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Botswana, and Rwanda. These professionals bring diverse expertise in water supply engineering, general water research, groundwater research, hydrogeology, international relations, water resources development, urban sanitation, data management, geology, knowledge management, and more.

The introductory meeting aimed to welcome the KM Focal Points, familiarise them with the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge and outline the upcoming activities. In his opening remarks, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of AMCOW, represented by Patrice Leumeni, AMCOW’s Monitoring and Reporting Lead, emphasised the importance of the initiative. The Focal Points will undergo training in KM principles and practices and develop country-specific KM strategies. Their contributions will help create a continental Knowledge Agenda for Africa’s water and sanitation sector. They will also help to drive the broader awareness and use of the yearly Africa Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring (WASSMO) Report produced by AMCOW. Dr Mbaziira also expressed his desire for the Focal Points to actively participate in AMCOW’s sub-regional consultations to deepen their understanding of AMCOW’s programmes.

The meeting featured presentations that provided an overview of AMCOW, the composition of activities within the Knowledge Management Challenge, and subsequent implementation plans. Additionally, the Focal Points were informed that they would also serve as drivers for gender and youth inclusion in their respective countries, where such initiatives may not yet be in place.

An exciting highlight of the meeting was the realisation that the Focal Points would play a vital role in fostering robust south-south collaboration, knowledge creation, and exchange among AMCOW member state through the outlined initiatives. AMCOW Secretariat, in cooperation with its partners, will continue to cultivate and strengthen this initiative while also mobilising the participation of other member states to achieve the target nomination of 110 focal points (two from each country, one male and one female). The Knowledge Management Challenge was launched by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia and AMCOW President 2020-2022, H E Carl Hermann Schlettwein. Water This introductory meeting marks a significant milestone in AMCOW’s ongoing commitment to improving African water and sanitation practices through enhanced knowledge management. The dedication and expertise of the Focal Points will play a crucial role in achieving the goals of the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge, contributing to sustainable development across the continent.

Tunisia wastewater
News

Titbit: Tunisia holds its first-ever public-private partnership in the water sector

Did you know Tunisia held its first Public-Private Partnership in the water sector with the Suez?

On 26 April, the Suez group teamed up with a state-owned office in Tunisia to clean up wastewater in a southern region that serves almost a million people.

In the collaboration between the Suez group and the state-owned office called Onas, Suez will operate the public sanitation service for several governorates and treat wastewater for the inhabitants of those regions.

This project is meant to help the economic and social development of the country’s south and deal with environmental challenges. The contract is worth 200 million euros and will last for ten years. The World Bank will finance the rehabilitation and extension of the infrastructures, while the Tunisian state will finance their operation and maintenance. The partnership will work on renovating existing equipment and allow wastewater reuse in agriculture while releasing better quality water into the environment.

This is the first public-private partnership in the water sector in Tunisia, and Suez hopes it will make the country a reference for sanitation management on the African continent.

AMCOW President2023-2025
FeaturedSpecial Messages

Prof. Dr Hani Sewilam’s Acceptance Speech as the incoming and new President of AMCOW for 2023-2025

First, allow me to express my great honour to be today among my brothers from all African countries to take over AMCOW Presidency for the next two years on behalf of the North African Region from my dear Brother Honorable Minister Carl Hermann Gustave Schlettwein, Minister for Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia, who led the African Continent very successfully as AMCOW President during the challenging time of COVID 19 pandemic where water and sanitation were key to overcome the implications of this severe crisis with his vast experience and wisdom.

Hon.-Carl-Schlettwein (1)
FeaturedSpecial Messages

4th Extra-ordinary Session of the Executive Committee of the Governing Council of AMCOW – A handover report from Namibia

4th EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE AFRICAN MINISTERS’ COUNCIL ON WATER (AMCOW)

WWF9
News

AMCOW at the 9th World Water Forum

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) participated in the 9th World Water Forum, held in Dakar, Senegal from 22 to 27 March, 2022. 

Dr Rashid delivers speech at PIDA
Special Messages

Speech Delivered by the AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, at the 8th Programme for Infrastrusture Development in Africa

Session title: Accelerating Preparation and Financing of Transboundary Water Projects: Bridging Capacity and Funding Gaps.
Keynote Address: Dr. Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary

Ladies and Gentlemen, the session title “Accelerating preparation and financing of transboundary water projects: Bridging capacity and funding gaps” could not be better fitting for where the water sector on the continent finds itself in this moment in time.
The demand for capacity development and improvements in financing transboundary water management is defined by the role water plays in Africa’s ambitions for economic growth and social transformation. These ambitions are espoused by the African Union Agenda 2063, a key priority area of which is assuring water security.
For this discussion, I use the 2013 UN Water definition of water security, which is developing the capacity “… to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water:

  • for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development,
  • for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and
  • for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability”.

In this context, our aspirations for growth and transformation are juxtaposed with the influence of water access and use on overall economic output. What emerges is that capacity and funding constraints in the water sector pose grave implications for the realisation of Africa’s development agenda. Challenges are invariably reported in:

  1. preparation of bankable projects at all levels,
  2. weak institutional capacities for project preparation,
  3. inadequate private sector investments in water; and
  4. the inadequacy of a compelling business case for investments in water that can catalyse sustained financing commensurate with Africa’s development ambitions.

The fundamentals of the required response can, therefore, be summarised into five key points as follows:

  1. Promoting a new narrative on water that recognises the full potential of water in the economy to further Africa’s future development needs. This narrative should foster an appreciation of the vitality of water in economic growth; job creation; and industrialisation.
  2. Strengthening the business case for water investments, as well as raising the profile of water in national and regional development planning in Africa. The economies of many countries in Africa are extremely vulnerable to climate variability and climate change as they are largely based on natural resources – water, land, energy, forests/ecosystems.
    Insufficiency of investments to enhance human and institutional capacities; build infrastructure; and improve information systems to support water management exacerbate the difficulties. To overcome these challenges – and achieve the SDGs – it is imperative for governments, societies and the private sector to fully embrace the concept of environmental security. A paradigm shift in the approach to developing, utilising and managing Africa’s water and related resources is urgently required.
  3. Water infrastructure development should be advocated for and promoted as a means to provide a service – which is water – to the economy in order to enable growth and development to happen. Water sector interventions, especially for such resource management functions as water storage and flood control, cannot therefore be designed and marketed from the perspective of ‘water sector development’. Rather, the approach to packaging them for investment should be centred on their eventual utility – from an economic perspective – in terms of providing water for food and energy production. This should be extended to the opportunities for employment and wealth creation: not to mention peace, social security, regional integration and political stability.
  4. Strategies to improve the investment outlook for water and related resources development will also benefit from the application of the principles for valuing water. The principles provide a guideline for determining the real value of proposed investments; the associated costs; and the benefits that can be expected. In essence, they serve the purpose of improving the appreciation of the economics of water in a country, river basin or region. The application of the principles of valuing water – together with targeted interventions to catalyse change – holds promise for delivering sustainable solutions for assuring water for energy, food and environmental security in Africa.
  5. There is an urgent need to apply integrated approaches – such as the Water-Energy-Food-and-Ecosystems nexus approach – to promote and facilitate investment led transboundary management and governance of water and environmental resources. The aim is to consolidate and capitalise on the achievements to-date of implementing the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management.
    This is the background to the current drive, under the leadership of the African Union Commission, AMCOW and AUDA-NEPAD to revitalise implementation of the following ongoing initiatives:
    i. establishing economic accounting for water as a discipline to, among others, improve the financing and investment outlook for water resources management in Africa;
    ii. improving national-level capacities, including the use of earth observation and remote sensing methods, for collecting complete and reliable hydro-meteorological and piezometrical data in all of Africa’s 64 shared river basins;
    iii. applying nexus perspective solutions to assure water, food and energy security in Africa;
    iv. improving agricultural water management;
    v. implementing the PIDA priority transboundary water and energy projects;
    vi. enhancing use of wastewater and sludge, as appropriate and acceptable, for nutrient recovery in agriculture and bio-gas energy production;
    vii. standardising regulatory frameworks for agricultural water management across Africa;
    viii. developing and adopting legal, policy and institutional frameworks for the collection and treatment of wastewater to a minimum water quality standard before return to the environment; and,
    ix. supporting Member States, R/LBOs and RECs to conduct water resources assessments as well as supporting them to monitor and manage groundwater use.
    As an outcome from the 10th World Water Forum in May 2024 in Bali, Indonesia, Africa’s Common Position and Key Messages committed:
    i. to align the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy to the African Union Agenda 2063 and make the principles of valuing water the backbone of the action framework for financing its actualisation; and,
    ii. to invest in institutional and human capacity development focusing on integrated information systems to support science-based decision making for climate resilience in the water and sanitation sector.
    At the 9th Africa Water Week in October 2024, in Cairo, Egypt, the water community agreed on the baseline for formulating the post-2025 Africa water vision and policy. This is contained in the 9th Africa Water Week Communique on “Placing Water and Sanitation at the Heart of Achieving Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
    Going forward, a key milestone of the dialogue process to formulate the vision and policy will be to convene the third African Implementation and Partnership Conference (PANAFCON-3) scheduled for 27-29 May 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia. The conference will pave way for Member States and partners to review the initial draft of the vision and policy framework for assuring inclusive and climate resilient water security on the continent.
    Let us all actively engage to ensure that that post-2025 Africa water vision and policy framework motivates action on bridging capacity and funding gaps in the water sector in Africa.

I wish you a productive discussion and thank you!

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News

AMCOW Releases Midterm Evaluation Results for Strategic Operational Plan 2020-2024

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has unveiled the highly anticipated midterm evaluation results for its Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) 2020-2024. This plan, which serves as the backbone of AMCOW’s efforts to drive the sustainable development of Africa’s water resources, is designed to align with the continent’s broader goals under the Africa Water Vision 2025 and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The midterm review offers a comprehensive assessment of the progress made in the first half of the implementation period. Key achievements include strengthening water governance frameworks across several member states, enhanced partnerships with regional and international organisations, and strides in the knowledge management landscape by launching the AMCOW Knowledge Hub.

Regarding water and sanitation service delivery, the report highlights the significant progress made in improving access to clean water for both rural and urban populations. Several countries have also successfully developed more robust monitoring systems for water quality, which are crucial for safeguarding public health and ensuring sustainable water use.

However, the evaluation also underscores critical challenges. Some of these include gaps in funding and capacity that are slowing progress and the increasing impact of climate change on water resources. The growing need for adaptive measures to ensure the resilience of water systems has been a key takeaway from the report.

Moving forward, AMCOW will focus on accelerating the pace of the plan’s implementation, bolstering its efforts to enhance cross-sector collaboration, mobilise resources, and scale up innovative solutions for integrated water resource management. As AMCOW enters the second half of its Strategic Operational Plan, it remains committed to strengthening Africa’s water security and fostering inclusive development. The midterm evaluation provides valuable insights to inform ongoing efforts to achieve lasting results by 2024, ensuring that the continent remains on track to meet its water and sanitation goals.

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Uncategorized

AMCOW Pens Funding Agreements worth US $3.87 million

In this quarter, engagements with existing and new funding partners culminated in agreements being reached for the equivalent of US $3.87 million in grants to implement the AMCOW work programme. Specifically:

  • A €2.6million funding agreement with the European Commission through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH for the continental window – the Blue Africa Action – of the Team Europe Initiative on Transboundary Water Management (TEI-TWM).
  • A grant agreement of US $ 1 million with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). 

AMCOW’s financial stability is thus secured in the short term. Member States’ commitment to AMCOW’s long-term financial sustainability is demonstrated by their renewed commitment to clear arrears in annual contributions.

AMCOW remains grateful to its existing and new funding partners, including the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union through GIZ under the TEI-TWM, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). AMCOW also appreciates the support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Africa Water Facility (AWF) towards its work programme and global agenda-setting events, including the 9th Africa Water Week.

AWW announcement
Uncategorized

Progress Update on the 9th Africa Water Week in Cairo, Egypt

Preparations towards the 9th Africa Water Week, scheduled in Cairo, Egypt, from 13 – 18 October, are progressing rapidly. Participants from Africa and worldwide are excited to join over 1500 people in Cairo for this critical event. This presents a special moment to take stock of progress made in our quest to achieve the Africa Water Vision, analyse the status quo and initiate processes for formulating the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and policy with an actionable implementation plan.

The AWW9 will be held at the Triumph Luxury Hotel, Cairo, Egypt, which was strategically selected to foster networking engagements across all participants’ spectrums. Recommended hotels nearer to the conference venue are accessible here:

Over 40 technical sessions will be convened across the five days. Sessions revolve around financing, water and sanitation, water resources management, water infrastructure, knowledge management and youth involvement. Sessions are carefully evaluated to demonstrate practical lessons from the African government, United Nations agencies, the private sector, civil societies and nongovernmental organisations. Thematic plenary sessions will spotlight transboundary water management and the role of parliamentarians in unlocking financial resources for the water and sanitation sector. Interestingly, technical sessions will culminate into synthesis sessions, where outcomes from each session will be juxtaposed with reported progress on the Water Sector and Sanitation Monitoring and Reporting system. A critical analysis of progress will be made to establish convergence on essential elements and aspects to feature in the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and policy.

Networking opportunities exist during the AWW9 to connect participants with partners of interest. The industry has over 30 experts and companies showcasing their brands and products, so it provides an apt atmosphere to engage and initiate long-lasting relationships for collaboration and business opportunities.

The opening and closing ceremonies are equipped with influential sector leaders and government officials to provide direction for the conference, including the AMCOW President, Hon Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and representation of the African Union Commission and African Development Bank. The 14th Executive Committee meeting of the AMCOW executive council will be convened on 16th October to deliberate on the conference outcomes and pronounce blessings for successful implementation. 

Essential links to support your participation towards the conference are presented here:

For more information, email the 9th Africa Water Week Team at 9aww@amcow-online.org

Coca-Cola Africa
Uncategorized

AMCOW Congratulates Coca-Cola For Launching the Water Stewardship Initiative in Africa

On 27 August 2024, the Coca-Cola System in Africa launched its Water Stewardship Initiative to address water-related challenges in hotspot basins and communities across 18 African Union Member States. The initiative is part of Coca-Cola’s goal to support and advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, focusing on water and sanitation.

AMCOW congratulated the Coca-Cola System in Africa and its partners for launching this New Water Stewardship initiative. Speaking during the launch through a video message, the AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, lauded Coca-Cola for recognising the need to protect and enhance the health of watersheds and facilitate access to water and sanitation services for vulnerable communities.

In his address, Dr Mbaziira reminded Coca-Cola and partners that Africa’s population will reach 1.6 billion by 2030. While this is a potential business market, the implication is that, at the very minimum, food production must increase by 50% to feed that growing population. “Juxtaposed with aspirations for modern economies and social progress, we are looking at a requirement of a tenfold increase in water just for energy production”, added Dr Mbaziira.

The private sector is all too aware of the business risk that water insecurity presents, noted Dr Mbaziira. So, too, is its yet-to-be-fully-tapped potential for collective action to guarantee business continuity and ensure shared prosperity. Dr Mbaziira expressed optimism about the new water stewardship initiative by the Coca-Cola Africa System, and partners responded to that reality.

AMCOW stated that lasting solutions to deliver transformative change, eradicate poverty and eliminate hunger must tackle the governance and institutional capacity constraints underlying water insecurity. The need to attract investments to the water sector that match Africa’s development ambitions is significant.

During the launch, Coca-Cola Systems and partners were informed that efforts are underway to formulate an Africa Water Vision and Policy that responds to these challenges and provides a strategic framework towards inclusive and climate-resilient water security on the continent. Ultimately, the vision and policy must motivate action to achieve the African Union Agenda 2063 goal of environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economies and communities through assuring water security, among others. Concluding his address, Dr Mbaziira invited the private sector and the partners to actively engage and contribute to formulating the post-2025 Vision and Policy. He used the opportunity to call on the Coca-Cola System in Africa to champion private sector engagement in this process, which will start at the upcoming 9th Africa Water Week.

Uncategorized

Recruitment of Consultant/s for Development of AMCOW Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) 2025-2030

Background

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is an autonomous African intergovernmental body formed in 2002 to provide a coordinating platform for water policy dialogue on the African continent and promote sustainable management and development of the continent’s water resources with a focus on expanding access to water supply and sanitation services in Africa. AMCOW serves as a delivery mechanism on water and sanitation to the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE) of the African Union Commission.

To achieve its mission, AMCOW developed a twelve-year year  Strategic Plan (SP) 2018-2030 to guide its activities and initiatives. In line with this overarching strategy, AMCOW has been operating under its current Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) 2020-2024.

The SOP 2020-2024 was designed to operationalize the AMCOW Strategy 2018-2030, focusing on key priority areas including:

Strategic Priorities:

    1. Ensure Water Security

    1. Ensure Safely Managed Sanitation and Hygiene

    1. Promote Good Water Governance and Transboundary Water Cooperation

    1. Strengthen AMCOW’s Governance and Operational Effectiveness

Cross-cutting Priorities:

    1. Enhance Water and Sanitation Resilience to Climate Change

    1. Contribute to Adequate and Sustainable Financing of Water and Sanitation Agendas

    1. Improve Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Systems

    1. Strengthen Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment in Water and Sanitation

The SOP 2020-2024 also outlined specific objectives, activities, and key performance indicators for each priority area, providing a roadmap for AMCOW’s operations and initiatives over the last five-year period.

Objective

The objective of the task is to develop AMCOW (2025-2030) Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) which is   aligned to the AMCOW strategy covering the period from 2018 to 2030. Currently, as we approach the end of 2024, the SOP is set to conclude, necessitating the development of a subsequent strategy. The development of the new SOP comes at a critical juncture.The existing Africa Water Vision expires in 2025 and the formulation of the post-2025 Africa Water Vision, and an accompanying Continental Policy, is underway to provide a continental implementation framework for Agenda 2063.

A mid-term evaluation of the SOP 2020-2024 has been conducted, providing valuable insights and lessons learned for the development of the new SOP. This evaluation will serve as a crucial input in ensuring that the new SOP builds upon successes, addresses challenges, and aligns with evolving needs and priorities in the water and sanitation sector. Thus, given the importance of this document in guiding AMCOW’s activities and initiatives during this pivotal period, AMCOW is seeking to engage the services of an experienced and professional independent consultant or team to develop the SOP 2025-2030.

Scope of Work

The new SOP 2025-2030 will play a crucial role in this transition period. Thus, it will not only translate AMCOW’s overarching strategy into specific actions but also bridge the current strategic framework with the emerging post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Africa Water initiatives and policy. The SOP is expected to define outputs to be delivered, annual milestones to be achieved, planned activities, available resources, and performance indicators to measure progress in achieving the strategic objectives over the next five (5) years, all while aligning with the existing and new continental vision/ policies and global strategies for water resource management.

Deliverables

The development of the SOP 2025-2030 is key for translating AMCOW’s long-term strategy into actionable plans and for aligning AMCOW’s activities with emerging water and sanitation sector needs at the Member States’ level.

Hence, the consultant (s) is expected to undertake the following tasks:

 

Phase 1: Inception and Review

  1. Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant documents, including:
  • AMCOW Strategy 2018-2030
  • Agenda 2063 and related implementation reports.
  • Current SOP 2020-2024
  • Mid-term evaluation of the SOP 2020-2024
  • Africa Position Paper prepared for the 10th World Water Forum
  • Partners’ strategies, especially the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), Africa Water Facility (AWF), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), River, Lake Basin organisations (RLBOs)
  • Conduct preliminary interviews
  • WASSMO Reports
    • Relevant regional and global water and sanitation policies and strategies
    1. Conduct situational analysis of the current water and sanitation sector needs in Africa, identifying key challenges and opportunities.
    2. Identify key stakeholders for interviews
    3. Develop and present an inception report outlining the detailed methodology and work plan, and for developing the SOP 2025-2030.

    Key Deliverables:

    • Inception report including literature review findings, methodology, and detailed work plan
    • Presentation of inception report to AMCOW Secretariat
    • Phase 2: Stakeholder Engagement and Draft Development

      1. Engage with the AUC and AMCOW-Secretariat teams to understand the roadmap and priorities building on the Africa Regional Position paper for the post-2025 Africa Water Vison and Policy.
      2. Conduct interviews with identified key stakeholders
      3. Develop a draft SOP 2025-2030 that aligns with the AMCOW Strategy 2018-2030 and addresses emerging water and sanitation sector needs in Africa, including:
        • Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives
        • Expected outcomes and outputs
        • Key performance indicators
        • Implementation strategies and timelines
        • Resource requirements and potential funding sources
      4. Design a monitoring and evaluation framework for the SOP 2025-2030, including tools for tracking progress and assessing impact.
      5. Propose strategies to enhance AMCOW’s operational effectiveness and resource mobilization capabilities within the context of the new SOP.

       Key Deliverables:

      • First draft of SOP 2025-2030
      • Draft monitoring and evaluation framework
      • Strategy document for enhancing AMCOW’s operational effectiveness and resource mobilization

      Phase 3: Consultation and Refinement

       

      1. Facilitate an internal consultative workshop to review the draft SOP with AMCOW Secretariat and incorporate feedback.
      2. Support consultations with Member States during statutory sub-regional meetings to gather feedback on the draft SOP.
      3. Synthesize and incorporate inputs received from Member States and partners during consultation and validation processes.
      4. Develop a final draft SOP 2025-2030

      Key Deliverables:

      • Revised draft of SOP 2025-2030 incorporating stakeholder feedback

      Phase 4: Finalization and Presentation

      1. Finalize the SOP 2025-2030, ensuring it addresses all key priorities and stakeholder feedback.
      2. Develop a detailed implementation roadmap for the SOP 2025-2030, including timelines, responsibilities, and resource allocation.
      3. Prepare and deliver a presentation of the final SOP 2025-2030 to AMCOW leadership.
      4. Provide any additional support or clarification required during the approval process of the SOP.

      Key Deliverables:

      • Final comprehensive SOP 2025-2030 document
      • Detailed implementation roadmap
      • Conduct presentation to AMCOW leadership

      Final report summarizing the entire process and recommendations for successful implementation.

    • The consultancy is expected to be completed over a period of 8 months. The consultant will provide the following deliverables, which are linked to payment milestones:

       

      No

      Consultant Deliverables/Outputs

      Payment Milestones (%)

      Timelines

      1

      Inception Report

      Detailed work plan including timeline, methodology, and initial findings from document review and situational analysis

       

      Format: Word document and PowerPoint presentation

      25%

      Mid November 2024

      2

      Consultation and Workshop Reports

      Summary of feedback from internal workshop and sub-regional consultations, including recommendations for SOP revisions

       

       

       

       

       

      40%

       

       

       

       

       

      November 2024 – April 2025

      3

      Draft SOP 2025-2030

      First complete draft of the SOP, including SMART objectives, outcomes, outputs, indicators, implementation strategies, and resource requirements

      4

      Final SOP 2025-2030 Package

      a.     Final SOP 2025-2030 document

      b.     Detailed implementation roadmap

      c.     Monitoring and evaluation framework

      d.     PowerPoint presentation for AMCOW leadership

      e.     Final consultancy report summarizing the entire process and providing recommendations for successful implementation

       

      Format: Word documents, Excel spreadsheets (for M&E framework and implementation roadmap), and PowerPoint presentation

      35%

      May to June 2025

       

      All deliverables should be submitted in English, in electronic format.

      Note: All payments are subject to the satisfactory completion and approval of the respective deliverables by the AMCOW Secretariat.

    • The consultant or team is expected to have the following minimum qualifications and experience:

      §  Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar assignments within Intergovernmental mandated institutions such as the AU, Regional Economic Commissions, River and Lake Basin Organisations and the UN and the Not-for-Profit Organisations such as NGOs and Civil Societies within the last 15 years.

      §  At least an advanced degree in water resources management, development studies, strategic planning, or related fields. In case of team of consultants, the team leader should meet the qualification requirement, and the CVs of team members should be submitted.

      §  Demonstrated knowledge of, the African water sector, and the institutional landscape in Africa.

      §  Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.

      §  Excellent coordination skills and experience in conducting stakeholder consultations.

       

      §  Fluency in English is required; knowledge of French, Portuguese or Arabic is an advantage.

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Procurement

Re-advertised Recruitment of Consultant/s for Development of AMCOW Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) 2025-2030

Background

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is an autonomous African intergovernmental body formed in 2002 to provide a coordinating platform for water policy dialogue on the African continent and promote sustainable management and development of the continent’s water resources with a focus on expanding access to water supply and sanitation services in Africa. AMCOW serves as a delivery mechanism on water and sanitation to the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE) of the African Union Commission.

To achieve its mission, AMCOW developed a twelve-year year  Strategic Plan (SP) 2018-2030 to guide its activities and initiatives. In line with this overarching strategy, AMCOW has been operating under its current Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) 2020-2024.

The SOP 2020-2024 was designed to operationalize the AMCOW Strategy 2018-2030, focusing on key priority areas including:

Strategic Priorities:

  1. Ensure Water Security
  2. Ensure Safely Managed Sanitation and Hygiene
  3. Promote Good Water Governance and Transboundary Water Cooperation
  4. Strengthen AMCOW’s Governance and Operational Effectiveness

Cross-cutting Priorities:

  1. Enhance Water and Sanitation Resilience to Climate Change
  2. Contribute to Adequate and Sustainable Financing of Water and Sanitation Agendas
  3. Improve Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Systems
  4. Strengthen Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment in Water and Sanitation

The SOP 2020-2024 also outlined specific objectives, activities, and key performance indicators for each priority area, providing a roadmap for AMCOW’s operations and initiatives over the last five-year period.

Objective

The objective of the task is to develop AMCOW (2025-2030) Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) which is aligned to the AMCOW strategy covering the period from 2018 to 2030. Currently, as we approach the end of 2024, the SOP is set to conclude, necessitating the development of a subsequent strategy. The development of the new SOP comes at a critical juncture.It is less than two years to the last milestone year of the Africa Water Vision expires in 2025. Formulation of the post-2025 Africa Water Vision, and an accompanying Continental Policy, is underway to provide a continental implementation framework for Agenda 2063.

A mid-term evaluation of the SOP 2020-2024 has been conducted, providing valuable insights and lessons learned for the development of the new SOP. The report of the evaluation provides a key background document vis-à-vis:

  1. consolidating successes from that implementation period;
  2. drawing on the lessons learnt in the same period; and,
  3. ensuring that mechanisms are put in place to cater for the emerging issues arising from evolving needs and priorities in the water and sanitation sector.

Thus, given the importance of this document in guiding AMCOW’s activities and initiatives during this pivotal period, AMCOW is seeking to engage the services of an experienced and professional independent consultant or team to develop the SOP 2025-2030.

Scope of Work

The new SOP 2025-2030 will play a crucial role in this transition period. Thus, it will not only translate AMCOW’s overarching strategy into specific actions but also bridge existing policy initiatives with the water and sanitation agenda beyond 2025. A particular overarching goal is to transition to an Africa Water Vision and Policy that can provide a strategic framework towards inclusive and climate resilient water security on the continent.

The SOP is expected to define high-level framework results to be attained at relevant levels; annual milestones to be achieved; work packages; and an indication of required inputs. It is expected that the existing indicator framework for monitoring the implementation of the SOP 2020 – 2024 will be updated, as appropriate, to track progress.

See the full Terms of Reference for the detailed deliverables and more: https://knowledgehub.amcow-online.org/resource/recruitment-of-consultant-s-for-development-of-amcow-strategic-operational-plan-sop-2025-2030

Evaluation Budget and Payment

A lumpsum contract, pegged at about 70 input days over a period of 7 calendar months from November 2024 to June 2025 – will be entered into with the successful bidder. If travel is envisaged, all costs related to flights, hotel accommodation and any other cost associated with a field travel should be indicated as a separate item.

Qualification and experience

The consultant (individual) or team leader (firm) is expected to have the following minimum qualifications and experience:

  • Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar assignments within Intergovernmental mandated institutions such as the AU, Regional Economic Commissions, River and Lake Basin Organisations and the UN and the Not-for-Profit Organisations such as NGOs and Civil Societies within the last 15 years.
  • At least an advanced degree in water resources management, development studies, strategic planning, or related fields. In case of team of consultants, the team leader should meet the qualification requirement, and the CVs of team members should be submitted.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of, the African water sector, and the institutional landscape in Africa.
  • Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.
  • Excellent coordination skills and experience in conducting stakeholder consultations.

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of French, Portuguese or Arabic is an advantage.

Qualified interested candidates or teams should submit their proposal (maximum 10 pages excluding CVs), including:

  1. An expression of interest and technical capability statement
  2. Technical offer describing in detail the approach and methodologies
  3. A statement confirming availability to conduct this assignment in the period stated.
  4. Relevant experience over the last 5 years. Please use the table below for each of the relevant assignments.

Interested individuals or firms are invited to submit a formal proposal and resume no later than 10 October 2024. The application should be addressed and emailed with a subject line: AMCOW SOP 2025-2030 to:

The Executive Secretary 

African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) 

No. 11, T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro District 

Abuja, Nigeria. Email: info@amcow-online.org  

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News

AMCOW Hosts Session at 2024 World Water Week, ‘Hub of Hubs’ Knowledge Platform for Peace

On August 27, 2024, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), in collaboration with DHI, convened a session titled “The Hub of Hubs: Knowledge Sharing Platform for Peace” at the 2024 World Water Week in Stockholm. The session, moderated by Louise Heegaard, promoted efforts to operationalise AMCOW’s continental knowledge-sharing platform for supporting water and sanitation management across Africa.

Dr Tahani Sileet, Minister Assistant for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt and AMCOW TAC Chair, opened the session with a keynote address. She underlined the platform’s importance for achieving water-related goals and priorities in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Following Dr Sileet, various sector speakers highlighted key knowledge management initiatives.

Department of Water and Sanitation, South Africa, shared its Knowledge Management Strategy, emphasising the need to move from mere data and information gathering to active knowledge sharing. The strategy demonstrated how co-creation and integration can reduce redundancy and enhance resource efficiency. Senegal’s Pole Eau Dakar (PED) initiative was presented as a case study, showcasing how effective implementation can promote regional knowledge sharing. The Congo Basin Catchment Information System (CB-CIS) offered a system-thinking approach to managing large river basins and highlighted the importance of cross-boundary data collaboration. The World Bank introduced innovative uses of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance knowledge-sharing within the water sector, stressing synergies between the Hub of Hubs and the World Bank’s information systems and learning networks.

AMCOW’s WASSMO System (currently under update) was showcased as an integral component of the Hub of Hubs, with new features to include AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard indicators, facilitating evidence-based decision-making. Preliminary findings of the AMCOW Knowledge Management Audit revealed the participation rate and feedback from member states, along with recommendations for advancing knowledge-sharing practices. To wrap it up, Code Kraft presented the technical backbone of the Hub of Hubs, illustrating how ICT can be leveraged to create sustainable knowledge-sharing systems.

The session identified several challenges in knowledge management across the African water sector, such as inadequate resources, low prioritization of knowledge development, and fragmented efforts in moving from data collection to actionable knowledge. However, innovative solutions were also proposed, including expanding AMCOW’s knowledge audit, strengthening the WASSMO system, and increasing member-state participation. An ambitious goal was to identify 110 focal points (two per member state) to enhance the platform’s mandate.

Participants shared their thoughts on transferring data into practical knowledge in an engaging fishbowl-style discussion. A representative from World Waternet, an implementing partner in Kenya, sought guidance on connecting with AMCOW’s focal points. Others, like participants from Lesotho, discussed challenges with accessing country-specific data, underscoring the need for more transparency and reciprocity in data-sharing.

The session also explored potential avenues for expanding AMCOW’s network, including suggestions to use LinkedIn as a connector for knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The session concluded with several action points aimed at sustaining the momentum. These include planning a technical workshop during Africa Water Week in Cairo, continuing discussions with key financiers and drafting a two-page follow-up proposal to negotiate long-term support for the Hub of Hubs initiative.

In terms of engagement, the session saw active online and onsite participation, with representatives from key organizations expressing interest in further collaboration. The World Bank, IWMI, GIZ, and Business Connect L3C were among them. These partners highlighted the importance of networking and knowledge integration, positioning AMCOW’s Hub of Hubs as a critical driver for achieving Africa’s water security goals.

As AMCOW continues to champion knowledge management for Africa’s water and sanitation sectors, this 2024 World Water Week session marks a significant step towards realizing a unified, accessible, and impactful Hub of Hubs platform that fosters collaboration, innovation, and sustainable development across the continent.

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News

AMCOW lauds AWF’s Launch of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII)

The African Water Facility (AWF) – as an initiative of the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), hosted and managed by the African Development Bank – has officially launched its groundbreaking Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) at the 2024 World Water Week in Stockholm. Hon. Carl-Hermann Gustav Schlettwein, Minister for Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Namibia, Chair of the African Water Facility Governing Council, graced the launch event. Key stakeholders from across the water and sanitation sectors and development partners across the globe attended the event.

In his address, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), highlighted the critical need for innovative solutions to tackle the severe sanitation challenges faced by the urban populations across Africa. “Over 50% of our rapidly growing urban population lacks adequate sanitation services,” he noted. “This translates into an estimated annual economic cost of $40 to $50 billion due to sanitation failures.”

The AUSII aims to reverse this trend by promoting a paradigm shift from conventional infrastructure investments to an inclusive, climate-resilient approach tailored to the diverse needs of Africa’s cities. Over the next decade, the initiative is set to directly improve sanitation access for 15 million urban inhabitants through 50 carefully prepared projects. Furthermore, it aims to mobilize $7 billion in commercial and concessional finance to bolster public and private sector sanitation projects.

Dr Mbaziira emphasised that the initiative is crucial to achieving the Africa Water Vision 2025 targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set. “Sanitation is a fundamental human right critical to public health, environmental sustainability, and overall well-being,” he said. He underscored the importance of private sector involvement, noting that AUSII will encourage investments from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to drive sustainable urban sanitation solutions.

At the beginning of his statement, Dr Mbaziira led the participants in observing a moment of silence in honour of the late Albert Diphoorn. Bert, as he was popularly known, was a key figure and played a key role in the establishment of the Africa Water Facility, whose contributions to the sector remain impactful today.

Reflecting on the broader impact of the initiative, Dr Mbaziira expressed confidence in AUSII’s ability to transform Africa’s urban sanitation landscape. “The commitment of AMCOW member states to this initiative is firm,” he said. “We are injecting new approaches to increase domestic allocations to the sector, ensuring inclusive and climate-resilient water security across the continent.”

As the first of its kind, the AUSII launch sets the stage for continued progress in Africa’s water and sanitation sectors. Stakeholders and funding partners, including the African Development Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, were lauded for supporting this initiative.

The AUSII will have a second launch at the upcoming Africa Water Week in Cairo, scheduled for October 2024, where further discussions will be held to ensure its successful implementation across the continent.

To read Dr Mbaziira’s full remarks, click the following link: https://amcow-online.org/amcow-executive-secretarys-remarks-at-the-africa-urban-sanitation-investment-initiative-ausii-launch/

For further information, visit AWF’s official website at https://www.africanwaterfacility.org/ or contact Mar Ajayi M.AJAYI@AFDB.ORG

Dr Mbaziira
Special Messages

AMCOW Executive Secretary’s Remarks at the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) Launch

August 27th, 2024

Stockholm, Sweden

Dr Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen

I am honoured to address you at this official launch of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII). This new financing window of the African Water Facility (AWF) will address urban sanitation challenges in Africa.

It also marks a key milestone in the growth of the African Water Facility. Before I get into why it is such a key milestone, allow me to request a moment of silence in honour of the late Albert Diphoorn, who passed away earlier this month. He played a key role in formulating the Africa Water Vision 2025 and translating the idea of improving project preparation financing for water and sanitation into the Africa Water Facility, which is the growth we are celebrating today.

Back to the question of why this launch is such a key milestone in the growth of the African Water Facility: We only have to look at some of the statistics on sanitation and hygiene services provision in Africa to appreciate the significance of this investment initiative.

Information from our Africa Water and Sanitation Sector monitoring system indicates that:

  1. as we approach the final milestone year of the Africa Water Vision 2025, and with
  2. less than five years to 2030, the target year of the sustainable development agenda:
    • 400 million people in Africa do not have access to potable water;
    • over 800 million people lack access to safely managed sanitation and basic hygiene services; and,
    • nearly 18% of the population still practice open defecation.

Narrowing the focus to urban areas, which are actually better served than rural areas, over 50% of our rapidly growing population living in these centres of development either:

  1. lacks adequate sanitation services coverage; or,
  2. does not have access to sanitation services of any kind.

That translates into an estimated annual economic cost of US $40 to $50 billion resulting from sanitation failures! Imagining the difference $40-50 billion per annum would make in Africa’s fight against poverty gives an idea of why assuring delivery of inclusive, sustainable and resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services to the entire population on the continent is a fundamental pillar of AMCOW’s work.

More importantly, I will discuss how that would impact the quality of life we aspire for at the grassroots level. In essence, poverty alleviation, food and energy security, as well as the SDGs target for education and health, sustainable cities and communities will not be possible to meet without water security and sustainable sanitation and hygiene services provision.

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen; I may be preaching to the converted, but it does not hurt to highlight that sanitation is a fundamental human right that is critical to public health, environmental sustainability and overall well-being. Especially for women and girls, the lack of access to sanitation and hygiene services is undignified. And as I say that, I am all too aware that inasmuch as appealing to the moral high ground raises passions for this cause, it is communicating this at the same wavelength as what it takes to invest in bringing about dignity that will move the needle.

It is also in this context that Ministers and Heads of Delegations responsible for water, sanitation, hygiene and related affairs in Africa – during the AfricaSan7 Conference held in Swakopmund, Namibia – committed to revitalising the pursuit of the targets of the Ngor declaration through promoting “Accelerated Actions for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Sanitation and Hygiene Services Delivery in Africa”

The commitment of the Member States to deliver on this promise is undeniable as captured in the 2023 AfricaSan Ngor report based on self-assessments from 40 Member States. Our leadership considers sanitation a fundamental issue that touches on the basics of our societies. It is also an issue that requires genuine and continued attention to address urgent needs and, in particular, articulate the sanitation economy as a key first step to raising the profile of sanitation in national systems for economic planning.

Against this background, the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative is a landmark for the African Water Facility, and for water resources management in Africa in general to accelerate the progress to change the aforementioned statistics.

To date, the Facility has mobilised more than €205 million in grant funding to support the preparation of 135 water and sanitation projects in 52 AU member states.

This funding support leveraged over €1.6 billion in downstream investment in the water and sanitation sectors. As a result, at least an additional 14 million people now have access to a safe water supply.

Over the next decade, the Facility aims to provide 15 million people with safely managed sanitation services through 50 projects while attracting more than €6 billion in additional investments.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative AUSII represents one of the measures being instituted to translate these ambitions into the targeted outcomes. And for this we salute the leadership of the African Water Facility, the African Development Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation for driving forward this ground-breaking initiative.

The Member States of AMCOW fully support the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative. And what better way to demonstrate this than by injecting new approaches to increase domestic allocations to the sector. This is a key priority in ongoing efforts to formulate an Africa Water Vision and Policy framework for assuring inclusive and climate-resilient water security on the continent. Member States both acknowledge with appreciation and urge continued support and commitment from the Facility’s funding partners and stakeholders to fully operationalise the initiative.

We thank you and look forward to welcoming you in October 2024 to Cairo for the 9th Africa Water Week and during which the second AUSII launch will take place.

Thank you