ENTEBBE, Uganda – The four-day high-level meeting held from May 22 to May 25, 2023, at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala concluded with the landmark Kampala Declaration on Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa. This significant gathering, organized by the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO) in collaboration with the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), GIZ, and the World Bank, marked the first of its kind and emphasized the crucial need for enhanced cooperation among these institutions.
During the meeting, key stakeholders, including the African Regional Communities (RECs), the River and Lake Basin Organizations (RLBOs), the African Development Bank, and other Development Partners, agreed on the Kampala Declaration. This declaration outlines a comprehensive set of commitments to strengthen collaboration, leverage resources, advance transboundary projects, enhance data and information services, and institutionalise high-level engagements. The shared objective is to effectively manage and develop shared water resources in support of Africa’s socio-economic growth, regional integration, and the achievement of key regional and global goals, such as the African Union Agenda 2063, Africa Water Vision 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG 6 and its targets.
The meeting commenced with an opening address by the Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, First Deputy Prime Minister and East African Community Affairs Minister. She emphasised the importance of effective water governance and policy harmonisation in addressing the continent’s water challenges. Professor Patrick Otieno Lumumba delivered an inspiring keynote address, underscoring the pivotal role of the river and lake basin organizations in Africa’s socio-economic transformation and the need for self-reliance.
Representing the Development Partner perspective, Anders Jägerskog, Program Manager of the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA), highlighted the World Bank’s commitment to supporting transboundary water cooperation as a public good that fosters conflict prevention and climate resilience. Dr Malte Grossman, Head of Nile Basin Projects at GIZ Uganda, stressed the significance of peer-to-peer learning among River and Lake Basin Organizations, emphasising the importance of sustained networking.
Eng. Sylvester Matemu, President of the African Network of Basin Organizations, underscored the regional importance of this high-level stakeholder engagement, stating that transboundary water cooperation is vital for sustainable water management, development, and the protection of the environment. Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar, Uganda’s State Minister for Water and Environment, emphasised the cooperative approach required to address water resources’ threats.
Dr Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of AMCOW, called upon all stakeholders to act on the commitments outlined in the Kampala Declaration, urging them to institutionalise this high-level gathering as an annual event for monitoring progress. As part of the meeting’s agenda, delegates also visited the Source of the Nile River in Jinja and a hydroelectric power plant, highlighting the practical aspects of transboundary water management. AMCOW’s active participation and collaboration in this high-level stakeholder engagement have resulted in the development of the Kampala Declaration. This comprehensive framework sets the stage for enhanced cooperation, sustainable development, and protection of African shared water resources.
We are excited to announce that the Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Dr Rashid Mbaziira, recently visited Kenya to discuss plans for the upcoming 13th General Assembly of the Governing Council.
The General Assembly is a crucial event for AMCOW as it provides an opportunity for the African Ministers responsible for water to come together and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the water sector in Africa. Hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Ordinary Session will hold from 13-15 June – with two major sessions comprising a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Session and a Ministerial Session.
(From left to right) Executive Secretary of AMCOW, Dr Rashid Mbaziira and Kenya Cabinet Secretary (CS), Hon Alice Wahome.
During his visit, Dr Mbaziira met with AMCOW’s EXCO Member and Vice President of the Eastern Africa Region, CS Hon Alice Wahome.
The meeting was held on 26th March and was focused on discussing the preparations for the upcoming General Assembly. Dr Mbaziira and CS Hon Alice Wahome discussed various plans and strategies to ensure the success of the General Assembly. They also discussed the importance of ensuring the event is inclusive and representative of all African countries.
We are confident that the upcoming General Assembly will be a success, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Arab Republic of Egypt and EXCO Members.
We look forward to welcoming the African Ministers responsible for water to the 13th General Assembly of the Governing Council of the African Ministers’ Council on Water.
We will provide more updates on this significant event.
The African Water Facility (AWF) has published the first issue of its 2023 newsletters. Under the theme ‘working for water’, the newsletter underlines the need to continue to deploy resources across sectors and industries to achieve access to water and sanitation for all in Africa.
In this first edition of the 2023 newsletter, you’ll find news on AWF’s updated investment case, knowledge management products, an overview of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) – a sanitation window to be hosted by the AWF, some highlights of AWF’s activities and industry moments in the first quarter of 2023, and more.
To read the newsletter in English or French, download it via the links below:
La Facilité africaine de l’eau (FAE) a publié le premier numéro de sa lettre d’information 2023. Sous le thème “Travailler pour l’eau”, elle souligne la nécessité de continuer à déployer des ressources à travers les secteurs et les industries afin d’assurer l’accès à l’eau et à l’assainissement pour tous en Afrique.
Dans ce bulletin, vous trouverez des informations sur le dossier d’investissement actualisé de la FAE, des produits de gestion des connaissances, un aperçu de l’Initiative d’investissement pour l’assainissement urbain en Afrique (AUSII) – une fenêtre d’assainissement qui sera hébergée par la FAE, quelques points forts des activités de la FAE et des moments forts de l’industrie au cours du premier trimestre 2023, et bien d’autres choses encore.
Pour lire la lettre d’information en anglais ou en français, téléchargez-la via les liens ci-dessous:
ENTEBBE, Uganda – On May 25, 2023, a four-day high-level meeting was held at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala, culminating in the signing of the Kampala Declaration on Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa. This pioneering gathering, organised by the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO) in collaboration with NBI, African Ministers‘ Council on Water (AMCOW), GIZ, and the World Bank, aimed to foster closer cooperation among these institutions. The focus was enhancing their organisational capacities and increasing their responsiveness to the continent‘s pressing water needs.
The Kampala Declaration commits several key stakeholders, including the African Ministers‘ Council on Water (AMCOW), the African Regional Communities (RECs), the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), the River and Lake Basin Organisations (RLBOs), the African Development Bank, and other Development Partners, to specific actions:
Strengthen Collaboration: The declaration‘s signatories will work towards reinforcing collaboration mechanisms between River and Lake Basin Organisations. By doing so, they can ensure more effective management of shared water resources, paving the way for socio-economic development in Africa.
Leverage Resources: Development Partners will provide technical and financial resources through existing and new cooperation arrangements to support transboundary water management. This collaborative effort will be instrumental in achieving regional and global goals, including the African Union Agenda 2063, Africa Water Vision 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6 and its targets.
Investment in Transboundary Projects: Efforts to invest in transboundary projects will be intensified, aligning with regional and global goals. This approach will facilitate progress toward key development objectives and enhance water, energy, and food security while protecting the environment.
Collaboration in Data and Information Services: The stakeholders recognise the critical role of data and information services in informed decision-making. By strengthening cooperation in this area, they aim to improve knowledge-based decision-making processes across the continent.
Institutionalise High-Level Engagements: The heads of River and Lake Basin Organisations will engage in regular high-level interactions to assess progress, share lessons, and prioritise actions. The institutionalisation of these engagements will be supplemented by annual meetings to be conducted under the auspices of the Governing Council of the AMCOW Executive Committee.
Group photograph of a cross-section of key partners and members of the high table during the stakeholders’ engagement on transboundary water cooperation in Africa, Kampala, Uganda.
The meeting commenced with the opening remarks by the Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, who emphasised the need for adequate water governance at appropriate levels. Professor Patrick Otieno Lumumba delivered a stirring keynote address, highlighting the importance of unity among river and lake basin organisations and the significance of self-reliance.
Representatives from Development Partners, including Anders Jägerskog and Dr Malte Grossman, underscored the value of transboundary water cooperation in preventing conflicts and building climate resilience—the President of the African Network of Basin Organizations, Eng. Sylvester Matemu, highlighted the critical role of cooperation in achieving water, energy, food security and environmental protection.
The closing remarks by Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar, Uganda‘s State Minister for Water and Environment, emphasised adopting a cooperative approach to tackle the threats to water resources. Dr Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of AMCOW, called on stakeholders to implement the commitments outlined in the Kampala Declaration and institutionalise this high-level gathering as an annual event for monitoring progress.
The meeting concluded with an excursion to Jinja, where the delegates visited the Source of the Nile River and a hydroelectric power plant, further highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management.
The Kampala Declaration marks a pivotal step towards greater transboundary water cooperation in Africa. The commitments made by key stakeholders demonstrate their dedication to addressing the region‘s pressing water challenges and working collaboratively for sustainable development and environmental preservation. By acting on these commitments and institutionalising the annual gathering, African nations can foster a future of shared prosperity and resilience through cooperative management of their precious water resources.
Our Chief Guest, The Rt Honourable first deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda,
Our Host Minister, the Minister for Water Resources and Environment
The Permanent Secretary,
The Chair, African Network of Basin Organisations
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Our partners
Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,
All protocols observed.
The responsiveness of continental policy initiatives to Member States’ real needs is dependent on a Bottom-Up-Top-Down approach. In essence, Member States’ priorities should constitute the basis for formulating continental initiatives which are in turn domesticated for implementation as national policies. Each of the 5 African Union (AU) regions faces unique challenges on the broad spectrum of water insecurity and inequity. To ensure ownership, it is imperative that all Member States can at least identify with aspects of AMCOW programmes. This is, in turn, influenced by the level of participation in the formulation process.
It is in this regard that efforts are underway to institutionalise strategic operational arrangements with RLBOs and RECs through jointly formulated and executed engagement plans and resources mobilisation activities. This should contribute not only to stronger ties between AMCOW, the RECs and RLBOs, it will also ensure that the development agenda of the RECs informs continental policy initiatives on water.
In addition, vertical integration of Member States, RECs and RLBOs should result in stronger institutional capacities for re-examining water, development, the economy and society. And that is the first of our objectives here today.
Ladies and Gentlemen
The second objective relates to our preparations for post-2025 Africa Water Vision. I need not remind any of you that it is less than three years to reach the final milestone of the Africa Water Vision 2025 (AWV2025). Information from the African Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring System indicates that we are off-track to achieve key targets of AWV2025. We have initiated the evaluation of the status of the realisation of the vision as we work on the transition to the post-2025 era. Strengthening water security is essential to the realisation of the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063. As such, it is imperative that the post-2025 Africa Water Vision is aligned with AU Agenda 2063.
In this context, my appeal to you that provide leadership in managing our shared water resources here for this meeting is as follows:
Let us put all available resources to support a comprehensive evaluation of the progress recorded by Member States to date.
The intent is to gather as much information as necessary to form a representative picture of the actual progress towards actualising the Africa Water Vision 2025. It is desired that the 2023 edition of the WASSMO Report will form part of the situation analysis, which will inform the formulation of the post-2025 Africa Water Vision in the context of Africa Agenda 2063.
This meeting is one of those engagements geared towards mobilising partner support to deepen and improve the quality of data submitted to AMCOW. Your mandates and specialist contributions are much needed to meet our goal.
This will ensure that the technical proposals lead to a post-2025 Vision, the pursuit of which will address the real challenges to water security in Africa. More importantly, the action framework should release the potential of Africa’s water resources to drive and sustain Africa’s aspirations for social transformation, economic growth, trade, peace and security.
Furthermore, we need to mobilise support to strengthen Member States’ capacity for data collection and reporting into the WASSMO system.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Having a well articulated Vision is not an end in itself. We need to ensure that we have the buy-in of our political leadership to realise it. Indeed, we need to do more to raise the profile of water as underlying our aspirations for:
food security and nutritional safety;
energy sufficiency, industrialisation and modernisation of our economies;
human and environmental health and the associated improvements in productivity;
improvements in opportunities for trade, employment and prosperity for all; and,
inter-state cooperation, regional integration, peace and security.
Allow me to highlight that the last time water and sanitation were the themes of our Heads of State and Governments discussions was in July 2008 in Sharm el Sheikh, nearly 15 years ago. As we forge on from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the now-frequent water-related disasters, is it not the right time for us to put it back on the agenda?
AMCOW’s appeal to you is to do all you can to support a request to declare Water and Sanitation as the theme of the African Union for 2026. This will give us the platform to have the post-2025 Africa Water Vision adopted and owned by our leadership.
In the meantime, let us institutionalise the process of engagement being revitalised today. It is my prayer that this agenda-setting gathering of the Executive Leadership of the organisations responsible for water resources management in Africa will be a permanent fixture of the calendar of events of AMCOW through ANBO. Let us leave Kampala with an agreement on which entity will be hosting this gathering next year and on what date. We would like for the outcomes of these gatherings to inform the annual agenda of the AMCOW Governing Council, which would imply that we meet each year before that meeting.
Join me in appreciating the warm hospitality of our hosts and the time and resources they have invested in getting us here. And to the multitude of our partners, we acknowledge your invaluable support.
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) hosted a High-Level Meeting on Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa, ENTEBBE, Uganda – From May 23rd to May 26th, 2023, approximately 75 participants comprising senior management from African River and Lake Basin Organisations, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), members of the Diplomatic Corps in Uganda, and representatives of Development Partners convened at Speke Commonwealth Resort, Munyonyo, to discuss joint planning and implementation of water governance, transboundary water management and development.
Organised by the African Network of Basin Organisations (ANBO) in collaboration with NBI, AMCOW, GIZ, and the World Bank, this pivotal high-level four-day meeting was held in recognition of the need for closer cooperation among these institutions to not only enhance their respective organisational capacities but also increase their responsiveness to the needs of the continent.
The objectives of this continent-wide stakeholder engagement include the following:
Identifying sector areas on transboundary water resources management for joint planning and implementation.
Leveraging partnerships and other transboundary cooperation arrangements that will support the management of shared water resources.
Agreeing on mechanisms to promote the implementation of continental and global commitments on water and sanitation, including Africa Water Vision 2025, PIDA-PAP II water projects, AU Agenda 2063, and SDG 6.
Preparing a Joint Action Plan for implementation and reporting on the meeting outcomes.
The Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs of the Republic of Uganda opened this high-level meeting as the Guest of Honor. Professor Patrick Otieno Lumumba delivered the keynote address. In her remarks, Hon. Kadaga said that Africa’s shared water resources present opportunities for socioeconomic development for riparian countries. Also, she stressed that knowledge and investment are required to translate these resources into social, economic, environmental, and political benefits for the populace.
Many African Member States recognise that the development of water infrastructure is a key driver of socioeconomic development, and it is worth noting that 64 percent of Africa’s surface area is composed of the transboundary river and lake basins. However, despite this abundance, these shared water resources are under-utilised and, at the same time, at risk of dwindling due to human activities exacerbated by climate change impacts.
African Member States have common developmental goals for the well-being of their respective citizens, and addressing these goals requires a cooperative approach – especially in the transboundary lake and river basins. This high-level stakeholder engagement is the first step in exploring possible areas of collaborative action. It offers a platform for learning and exchanging experiences and lessons learned in transboundary water management.
Following this four-day engagement, a joint Action/Engagement Plan for implementing regional and global commitments will be developed and reporting on the general meeting outcomes.
I am honoured to convey the vote of thanks of the Council of Ministers responsible for water affairs in Africa to you Honourable Eng Suleiman Adamu. The Council of Ministers is what is popularly abbreviated as AMCOW. The Secretariat of AMCOW is hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Water Resources. As such, Hon Eng Adamu has been AMCOW’s host Minister throughout his tenure; and the Vice President for West Africa for the period 2021 to 2023.
Reiterating the express sentiment of the Council, you have been a tireless AMCOW Brand Ambassador. This is exemplified by how you made AMCOW’s 20th Anniversary celebrations without a doubt one of the highlights of the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal in 2022.
The passion with which you have always led AMCOW’s engagements and with which you always spoke about the vision of AMCOW’s founders, played no small part in the revitalisation we are now witnessing at AMCOW.
You were unequivocal in reminding all concerned of the Mission of AMCOW to provide political leadership to release the development potential of Africa’s Water resources.
You posed the perhaps difficult, but necessary questions of self-reflection on how – the Council – as the leadership of the water and sanitation sector in Africa, was doing to actualise the vision of the 45 founding Ministers that issued the Abuja Declaration establishing AMCOW.
Above all, you provided profound insight into motivating concrete action to move the water and sanitation agenda forward through sharing the success factors and lessons learnt from the PEWASH programme in Nigeria.
You have been accessible and enviably willing to give freely of your time to advance AMCOW matters. Your prioritisation of AMCOW has been invaluable to the Council’s achievements in:
Building consensus on an African common position on water security and sanitation for economic growth and social transformation. As we forge on from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the now-frequent water-related disasters, the significance of the Member States’ collective targeted action cannot be overemphasised.
Infusing new approaches into ongoing efforts to attract commensurate funding and investment to the sector. You have been at the forefront of promoting the sanitation economy and promoting the principles of valuing water in national systems for economic planning and domestic allocations.
Promoting a new narrative on Africa’s water resources as an essential ingredient of our aspirations for:
food security and nutritional safety;
energy sufficiency, industrialisation and modernisation of our economies;
human and environmental health and the associated improvements in productivity;
improvements in opportunities for trade, employment and prosperity for all; and,
inter-state cooperation, regional integration, peace and security.
Indeed, at the continental level, you have played a significant role in demonstrating AMCOW’s strength as an organisation and in improving AMCOW’s franchise value globally.
At the level of the Secretariat, we have lacked nothing that relates to the obligations of the host country in AMCOW’s Headquarters agreement. Indeed, you have spearheaded ongoing efforts to secure land for the construction of a permanent Secretariat as provided for in the said Agreement. This will not only address the requirements for space given the growth at the Secretariat over the last 20 years but will also contribute to assuring AMCOW’s financial sustainability.
And of course, it would be amiss of me not to acknowledge your support – through the Permanent Secretary and the technical leadership at the Ministry – that culminated in a generous update of the Secretariat’s fleet by the Federal Government. We are forever in your debt.
On a personal level, working under your leadership has been a truly enriching experience, characterised by immense learning and growth at the Secretariat.
The team at the Secretariat and I take it as our collective responsibility to celebrate the legacy of your service to AMCOW and jealously preserve it. We remain at your disposal and hope to learn more from you as we move forward.
Your peers, the members of the Council, and the water community in Africa thank you for the prestige that the style of your leadership has gained for AMCOW. I thank you.
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.
In accordance with the objectives of its Strategic Operational Plan to align Member States’ sanitation and hygiene policy environments with continental and global commitments, AMCOW developed the African Sanitation Policy Guidelines. The ASPGs were developed through a consultative and collaborative process with key sector players and African Union Member States. It provides the recommended core elements and processes for the review, revision, and development of policies, strategies, and plans toward achieving SDGs 6.2. To demonstrate the progress and impact of ASPG utilization over time, AMCOW is establishing a monitoring and reporting mechanism.
The mechanism will comprise the following key elements:
I. Development of an agreed indicator framework for monitoring changes in Member States’ enabling environments for sanitation and hygiene services provision in line with global and continental commitments
II. The institutionalisation of a data collection and information generation protocol, including defining modalities and or systems for:
Situation assessments to both:
capture, analyse and store the data gathered and the information generated;
the periodic reporting cycle.
III. Strengthening capacity at the Member States and other relevant levels to operationalise the monitoring and reporting mechanism; IV. data gathering and reporting format and V. information sharing and dissemination approach
Situation assessments will be a key component of the overall framework for monitoring the outcomes of the utilisation of the ASPGs by Member States. They will be useful to:
establish individual Member States’ baseline conditions prior to interventions to strengthen the policy environment utilising the ASPGs; and,
collect information at regular periodic intervals for use in monitoring changes in the policy environment over time;
Currently, two tools exist for conducting assessments of the sanitation policy environment prior to ASPG utilisation. They are namely:
the African Sanitation Policy Assessment Tool (ASPAT); and
the Policy Monitoring and Assessment Tool (PMAT).
Against this background, AMCOW seeks to engage the services of a consultant to reconcile the ASPAT and PMAT tools.
Objectives of the Consultancy: The overarching objective of the consultancy is to reconcile the African Sanitation Policy Assessment Tool (ASPAT) and Policy Monitoring and Assessment Tool (PMAT) into one comprehensive tool for conducting situation assessments of the sanitation and hygiene policy environment. In the context of this assessment, the policy environment includes policy documents, governance arrangements for sanitation and hygiene; regulatory frameworks; institutional arrangements; as well as sector funding mechanisms. Specific objectives: The specific objectives of the consultancy are to: i. harmonise terminologies, ii. identify and address gaps for comprehensive situation assessments that are not covered by the two tools when considered together; iii. remove redundancies and or repetitions in the information that can be collected using the tools; and, iv. develop recommendations for a suitable name for the reconciled tool. Overall, the intent is to improve accuracy and consistency at the stage of data collection and reporting resulting from using the tool.
Scope of Work: The scope of work for this consultancy entails the following: • Desk review: a desk review of policy documents will be conducted. Below is an inexhaustive list of documents for review:
African Sanitation Policy Guidelines (ASPG)
African Sanitation Policy Assessment Tool (ASPAT)
Policy Monitoring and Assessment Tool (PMAT)
AMCOW 2018 – 2030 Strategy
AMCOW Strategic Operational Plan 2022 – 2024 • Tools Reconciliation: This involves the reconciliation of the ASPAT and PMAT assessment tools to form a single tool that covers the specific objectives in (2) above.
The table below summarizes the expected tasks and deliverables for this assignment
Tasks/Milestone
Deliverables/Outputs
Virtual inception meeting on the scope of work, clarifications on the assignment
Reconciliation of the ASPAT and the PMAT and related documents into a single tool
A draft situation assessment tool presented
Virtual consultation with governments on the draft tool
Consultation meetings with governments and key stakeholders conducted
Virtual validation meeting among key stakeholders
Situation assessment tool validated
Finalization of the situation assessment tool
Reconciled tool finalised
Production of assignment report
Final report produced
Terms of Payment
Payments will be associated with outputs upon satisfactory delivery of expected results.
Reporting and Task Management
AMCOW will manage this assignment with a direct reporting line to the Policy Officer for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (POWASH), who will be responsible for final approvals of deliverables.
Duration of Assignment
The successful applicant should be available to commence on 20 May 2023. Bearing in mind that progress on the reconciled tool will be presented at the AMCOW Executive Committee meeting on June 12 2023.
Education, Required Skills and Experience of the Consultant.
The following minimum qualifications and experience are required to successfully deliver on this assignment:
Advanced University degree in social sciences, environment, public policy, and sanitation-related subjects.
Minimum of 10 years experience in policy-related matters in water resources management, sanitation, and hygiene
Familiarity with the ASPGs would greatly contribute to this assignment’s success.
Knowledge of policy development and revision process in Africa and globally
Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, including experience in developing a situation assessment tool, would be required to attain success in this assignment.
Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills in English are desired.
Submission of Proposals
Interested parties – both individuals and firms – that meet the criteria above are invited to submit proposals (maximum of 15 pages as a single attachment) providing the details below:
An expression of interest and technical capability statement;
Details of the proposed approach, methodology and activity scheduling;
A summary of relevant experience – over the last 5 years – of developing situation assessment tools in both private sector and inter-governmental organisational contexts. Please use the table below for each of the relevant assignments. Contact information of the respective clients should be provided for each of the relevant assignments listed.
Assignment name:
Approx. value of the contract:
Countries:
Duration of assignment:
Name of client and contact details:
Total no. of staff months of the assignment:
Address:
Approx. value of the services provided by your firm/you under the contract:
Start date: Completion date:
No. of professional staff-months provided by associated consultants:
Name of associated consultants, if any:
Name of the senior professional staff of your firm involved and functions performed: Eg. XXXX YYYYY, Team Leader, hydrologist, hydraulic conditions ZZZZ AAAA, Water Economist BBBB CCCCC, Financial Modeller
Narrative description of the project: (please provide summaries of the background, approach and methods used, and outputs/recommendations)
Description of actual services provided by your staff/you within the assignment:
the applicant’s resume – for individual consultants – or resumes of the key staff of the bidding firm highlighting relevant expertise;
a financial proposal containing time and cost estimate for delivery of the above-described deliverables, including a break-down to level of effort and expenses.
links to samples of the bidder’s written work/deliverables from previous assignments.
9. How to apply
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit a formal proposal and resume no later than 10th May 2023.
The application should be addressed and emailed 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 The same e-mail address can be used to request additional information and or clarifications.
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is an intergovernmental institution formed in 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria. The vision of AMCOW is an Africa where there is an equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation and the environment. AMCOW’s mission is to provide political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems. The Organs and structures of AMCOW serve as the working group on Water and Sanitation of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee (STC) of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE).
Over the past 5 years, AMCOW Secretariat has gone through a number of institutional reforms to improve its operational and governance arrangements to deliver on its mandate effectively. The overall objective is to provide a high-level platform to push the water agenda forward at the continental, regional and country levels. Ultimately, the aspiration is for Member States to ensure effective and sustainable management of water resources for all purposes to address both poverty reduction and social development goals.
2. Rationale
A key outcome of the institutional development support to date has been the establishment of broadly inclusive participatory mechanisms – coordinated by the AMCOW Secretariat – for informing decision-making. Information generated from the Africa Water and Sanitation Sector (WASSMO) system is used to inform continental policy initiatives to coordinate and technically facilitate the water sector in Africa.
Numerous political commitments notwithstanding, the water sector – in general – and AMCOW as an institution – are faced with a chronic challenge of incommensurate funding. The Sharm-el-Sheikh Declaration takes it on with commitments on:
increasing domestic allocations to the sector;
developing appropriate financial instruments and investment plans for funding the water and sanitation sector; and,
mobilising funding support from development partners.
In the N’Gor Declaration, a commitment is made of having established sanitation and hygiene budget lines of a minimum of 0.5% of national GDP by 2020.
For the majority of AMCOW’s Member States, action on these commitments has not matched the enormity of the task of ensuring water security. By extension, statutory contributions to the core budget of AMCOW are insufficient to meet a key stipulation of the AMCOW Governance Framework on funding AMCOW initiatives.
To fund AMCOW activities, the Secretariat is mandated to receive and manage Member States’ contributions, as well as such sources as shall be established by the Executive Secretary. These sources include contributions from the private sector; and funding, technical and implementing partners. The AMCOW Governance Framework, thus, stipulates that the core functions of the Secretariat shall be financed by the Member States themselves to demonstrate commitment and ownership.
As such, strengthening the Secretariat’s capacity to mobilise resources towards implementation of AMCOW’s core functions has implications for the institution’s funding model. The Secretariat’s ability to attract partner investments into AMCOW activities is linked to the ability to demonstrate financial commitment to AMCOW’s core functions.
Hence the ongoing activities to formulate and implement a business plan to set the strategic direction and inject new approaches into AMCOW’s resources mobilisation efforts.
Objectives of the Assignment
Against the background of the foregoing, technical services are sought to prepare an impact oriented AMCOW Business Plan to support implementation of the AMCOW Strategy 2018 – 2030. A key immediate output from the plan will be to put in place measures – including revenue generation – to provide financial stability at the Secretariat.
A key requirement is to concisely articulate strategies – grounded in private sector business acumen – to assure both the short-term funding stability and the long-term financial security of AMCOW.
Scope of Work
Under the overral guidance of the Executive Secretary and direct supervision of the Director of Corporate Services, the consultant will be responsible to:
Conduct detailed consultation on AMCOW programmes and other potential revenue generating products and services, such as Conferences etc, with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Management, Staff and key partners/stakeholders.
Conduct a market analysis and risk assessment, and study the critical sustainability factors for similar entities, including operational gaps, funding loopholes, competitiveness and viability;
Conduct a thorough review of AMCOW’s governance, management and operational structure, systems and policies to inform the development of a sound and efficient business model and plan;
Conduct validation sessions to discuss and review the draft Business Plan before it is finalized. This should include proposed products and services; governance, operational and financial management structures, including any tax implications; branding and communication strategies and cost estimates/budget.
Deliverables
A 5-year Business Plan that fully responds to the objectives of the assignment as detailed in Section 2 above. It will include, but not be limited to:
clearly defined operational strategies, governance and management structures;
details of the key tasks and responsibilities of each actor;
a financial and operational plan;
cost estimates/budgets of recommended actions, including tax implications;
a risk mitigation/management plan, as well as,
a plan for measuring performance and impact.
Duration of the Assignment
The assignment is expected to take approximately 30 input days spread over a period of 3 calendar months.
Qualification 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 Not-for-Profit Organisations such as NGOs and Civil Societies within the last ten (10) years.
At least a Master’s degree or equivalent in business administration, strategic Management, development studies, Economics or related fields;
Familiarity and strong understanding of the water and sanitation sector in Africa
Strong research and analytical skills, communication (oral and written), interpersonal and facilitation skills.
Ability to work remotely with a multi-disciplinary team
Good leadership and organisational skills.
Language capabilities to function in both English and French is an added advantage.
Submission of Proposals
Interested parties – both individuals and firms – that meet the criteria above are invited to submit proposals (maximum of 15 pages as a single attachment) providing the details below:
an expression of interest and technical capability statement;
details of the proposed approach, methodology and activity scheduling;
a summary of relevant experience – over the last 5 years – of preparing business plans in both private sector and inter-governmental organisational contexts. Please use the table below for each of the relevant assignments. Contact information of the respective clients should be provided for each of the relevant assignments listed.
Assignment name:
Approx. value of the contract:
Countries:
Duration of assignment:
Name of client and contact details:
Total no. of staff-months of the assignment:
Address:
Approx. value of the services provided by your firm/you under the contract:
Start date: Completion date:
No. of professional staff-months provided by associated consultants:
Name of associated consultants, if any:
Name of senior professional staff of your firm involved and functions performed: Eg. XXXX YYYYY, Team Leader, hydrologist, hydraulic conditions ZZZZ AAAA, Water Economist BBBB CCCCC, Financial Modeller
Narrative description of project: (please provide summaries of the background, approach and methods used, and outputs/recommendations)
Description of actual services provided by your staff/you within the assignment:
the aplicant’s resume – for individual consultants – or resumes of the key staff of the bidding firm highlighting relevant expertise;
a financial proposal containing time and cost estimate for delivery of the above-described deliverables, including a break-down to level of effort and expenses.
links to samples of the bidder’s written work/deliverables from previous assignments
How to apply
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit a formal proposal and resume not later than 8th May 2023.
