AMCOW Governance Framework

The Governing Council (Council of Ministers) is the highest decision making and policy organ of AMCOW to which the Executive Committee reports. It consists of all 55 AU Member States. It is headed by a President elected, from among the Council Members, at the General Assembly for a term of 2 years. The Presidency rotates among the sub-regions (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western).

The current AMCOW President (2025 – 2027) is the Republic of Senegal. Read the message from AMCOW president here.

Powers and Functions of the Council
The Council has the following functions:
• Keeps the state of Africa’s water resources under review and promote desirable actions of common interest to Africa.
• Facilitates and supports sub-regional, regional and international cooperation through the coordination of issues relating to water policies.
• Encourages mechanisms that promote best practices in water policy reforms; water,food and energy security; transboundary water resources management; and water services provision.
• Provides a forum for dialogue with UN agencies and other partners.
• Promotes, in the region, studies regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation; aswell as the development of policies and strategies for the mitigation and management of water related disaster risks.
• Strengthens financing mechanisms of the water sector in Africa.
• Promotes sub-regional and basin-wide cooperation.
• The Council may delegate any of its powers and functions mentioned above to any organ of AMCOW.

The Executive Committee (EXCO) shall make representation to the Council of Ministers on issues to be discussed at the General Assembly and extra-ordinary sessions, based on the advice of the Technical Advisory Committee.

Role and Functions of the EXCO
The EXCO has the following functions:
• EXCO shall take decisions on behalf of the Council in the interim of the General Assembly.
• Deliberates on the advice and recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and forward to the Council of Ministers its suggestions for consideration and further guidance.
• Ensures that decisions of the Council are implemented
• Endorses the programmes and budgets for the approval of the Council
• Decides on arrangements for the sessions of the Council.
• Decides on strategic directions of the constituent organs of AMCOW.
• The EXCO may delegate some of its functions mentioned above to the Technical Advisory Committee.

Click here to view the current EXCO Members 

The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) advises the EXCO on technical and/or administrative matters regarding principles, procedures and programmes relating to both the fulfilment of AMCOW’s mandate; and the implementation of the AMCOW Work Plan. As an operational practice, the TAC organises itself into sub-committees and working groups – with representatives of relevant partners where necessary – to handle matters of a specialised nature.

Roles and Functions of the TAC
The TAC has the following functions:
• Formulation of policies and strategies, as well as recommendations for the consideration and endorsement by the EXCO.
• Empowered, through the EXCO, to select; define the tasks of; and appraise the Executive Secretary.
• Coordination; operational follow-up; and reporting on progress in implementing EXCO and Council decisions, with support from the Secretariat and other regional institutions.
• Facilitation of two-way feedback on AMCOW initiatives, activities and programmes at continental, sub-regional and country levels.

The Africa Water Facility (AWF) Governing Council (GC) comprises of 5 Members (Immediate Outgoing AMCOW President & 4 VPs)

The function of the AWF involves resources mobilisation and providing project preparation funding for water resources
development and water and sanitation services provision in Africa

The Africa Water Facility (AWF) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) comprises of 10 Members(Immediate Outgoing TAC Chair & 4 VCs and one more Member per Region)

The AMCOW Secretariat provides all the constituent bodies of AMCOW with administrative, financial management and logistical support to fulfil their individual roles and functions. In addition, the Secretariat acts as a clearinghouse for relevant information on both the sectors of water and sanitation in Africa.

Functions of the Secretariat
• Taking action on the decisions of the Council and EXCO.
• Preparing work programmes; budgets; and reports for the consideration and/or approval
of the Council.
• Providing secretarial services for the sessions and meetings of all organs of AMCOW including:

• • interpreting speeches during meetings in AMCOW official languages;
  • receiving, translating and circulating documents;
  • printing, publishing and circulating as appropriate the records of sessions and
    meetings, the resolutions of the Council and other required documents;
  •  having custody of the documents in the archives.

• Any other duties assigned by the AMCOW President, EXCO and TAC.

Each of AMCOW’s five sub-regions has a Sub-regional Ministerial Committee (SMC) the mandate of which is to offer policy guidance in the implementation of AMCOW’s Work Plan at the sub-regional level, as well as working to ensure its adoption and implementation at national level.
Each is headed by an AMCOW Vice President

Roles and Functions of the SMCs
The SMCs have the following functions:
• Decide on strategic directions for region-specific handling of water and sanitation matters.
• Approve sub-regional programmes and budgets.
• Report to EXCO.
• Ensure that the decisions of the Council are implemented at sub-regional and national levels

Each of AMCOW’s five sub-regions has a Technical Experts Committee (TEC) the mandate of which is to advise the SMC on technical matters regarding principles, procedures and programmes relating to both the fulfilment of AMCOW’s mandate at sub-regional level.
In this respect, the TECs’ primary role is to ensure that on the one hand, the development of the AMCOW Work Plan is informed by sub-regional priorities; and, on the other hand, action plans at sub-regional and national level reflect policy undertakings at continental level.
Each is headed by a TAC Vice Chair.

Roles and Functions of the TECs
The TECs have the following functions:
• Raising awareness on and advocating for the implementation of AMCOW’s Work Plan at the national level.
• Providing technical support in the implementation of major water and sanitation initiatives taking place within their respective sub-regions.
• Facilitating two-way feedback on AMCOW initiatives, activities and programmes at subregional and country levels.
• Reviewing the status of implementation of the AMCOW workplan at sub-regional level,
as well as monitoring its adoption and implementation at national level.
• Providing leadership in the annual preparation, validation and submission of their individual Country Progress Reports on the implementation of the Sharm el-Sheik commitments to the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of AMCOW.
• Coordinating consultative processes at national level for prioritising pressing water security and sanitation issues for the attention of the policy organs of AMCOW.
• Providing national inputs to the sub-regional TAC report.