Special Messages
It is with profound sadness that the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) joins the global water community in celebrating the life of Albert Diphoorn. He was a champion and supporter of Africa’s water agenda. Born in Hoogeveen on 24th April 1953, Albert, known affectionately as Bert, passed away on 9th August 2024, leaving an impressive legacy of dedication, commitment and passion to the water and sanitation sector at various levels.
For the African water community, Albert Diphoorn was not just a colleague; he was a visionary leader and a driving force behind many of the critical water-related initiatives that have shaped the African continent. Bert’s contributions to the water sector can be traced to his early days with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MinBuza). He was one of the key architects of the World Water Visioning process leading up to the 2nd World Water Forum in the Hague in 2000. He supported in this context the formulation of the Africa Water Vision 2025, a blueprint that continues to guide the continent’s water and sanitation agenda. He also played a role in establishing AMCOW to provide political guidance in implementing the African Water Vision 2025.
In defining Africa’s priorities in the water sector in the lead-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002, Bert, as a member of the African Water Task Force (AWTF) proposed the need for the African Water Facility (AWF) to provide financing and technical assistance to African states to facilitate access to the major funds especially MFIs through improved capacity in project preparation, feasibility studies and pilot programs which could be scaled up.
He not only contributed immensely to the conceptualization of the Facility but lobbied for seed funding and establishment within the African Development Bank. He saw its implementation as the first Coordinator of the AWF when he was detached to the AfDB solely for that purpose, which he successfully completed, ensuring that its governance structure had equal representation from AMCOW and the Development Partners. As the Facility grows with national-level water resilience projects all over Africa, it is worth noting that Bert’s enthusiasm, dedication and negotiation skills were fundamental for its success.
Bert’s contributions to the early work programmes of AMCOW were also notable. He lobbied hard for funding for early events such as the Africa Village at the WaterDome at the WSSD in Johannesburg, PANAFCON I in Addis Ababa and the World Water Fora in Kyoto, Mexico City and Istanbul. Technical products such as the African Water Development Reporting process and African Water Journal, which was done under the aegis of AMCOW in collaboration with UN-Water/Africa, could not have been done without Bert’s support in lobbying for funding through the UN-Water/Africa Trust, Fund channelled through UNECA. Similarly, his passion and support for the African Water Week series are memorable.
To political leaders and technical experts, Bert was an additional strategic voice and served as a mentor, a friend, and a steadfast advocate for Africa’s water and sanitation sector. As we commemorate the impactful life he led, his story will continue to remind us of the power of dedication and collaboration towards achieving the water and sanitation goals.
As we recall the contributions of Albert Diphoorn to the water and sanitation sector, allow us to extend our deepest condolences to his family (Wilma, Tim, Luuk and Tessa), friends, and all those who had the honour of working alongside him.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
AMCOW
