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.

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.

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

On 25 July, the Executive Secretary made a courtesy call on the Honourable Minister for Natural Resources and Energy, His Royal Highness Prince Lonkhokhela. Underscoring water as an essential ingredient of ambitions for food and energy security; employment creation; human and environmental health; trade and regional integration; as well as peace and security, the need to attract commensurate financing to the water and sanitation sector cannot be overemphasised att. His Royal Highness acknowledged the Africa Water Facility’s support for the feasibility studies for the Nondvo and Hawane dams that will contribute to water infrastructure growth in the country. It was agreed to continue the engagement on how the AMCOW Secretariat can be of more service to the realisation of Kingdom’s water and sanitation agenda. The Executive Secretary was humbled by His Royal Highness’ gift and lesson on wearing the lihiya. Further discussions touched on the plans and overarching goal of the 9^th Africa Water Week vis-à-vis ongoing consultation processes to ensure that the post-2025 Africa Water Vision effectively addresses the real needs of Member States.

Later in the day, the Executive Secretary met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Joint River Basins Authority, Ms Sindy Mthimkulu. They exchanged ideas on the need to strengthen basin institutions for water management. They emphasised the vitality of sustainable water management to assure water security and enable both social transformation and economic growth.

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) successfully co-hosted the 5th annual Partners Coordination Platform (PCP) meeting on water and sanitation in Africa. Held on 29-31 July 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria, the event brought together leading organisations, development partners, and stakeholders across the continent. The idea was to enhance coordination, strengthen partnerships, and align efforts to accelerate progress toward water security and sanitation goals in Africa.

The PCP is a vital platform for addressing Africa’s water and sanitation challenges by facilitating resource mobilisation, exchanging information, and promoting collaboration among key institutions. The platform and its contribution to the overall goals of the Africa Water Vision 2025 demonstrate water and sanitation’s roles as critical cross-cutting factors in Africa’s socio-economic development.

The 2022 Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring Report reveals significant challenges. Millions lack access to safe sanitation and drinking water, and climate change exacerbates the issues, impacting livelihoods and economic growth across Africa. At the 5th PCP meeting, participants focused on the importance of building Africa’s resilience to climate change and ensuring that investments in water and sanitation are climate-proofed. Africa remains vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with its water resources severely impacted, which heightens the urgency for more decisive, well-coordinated action.

The gathering also provided a platform for assessing progress on water-related commitments, including those established under Agenda 2063, the African Union’s climate change and resilient development strategy, and the Africa Water Investment Program (AIP). Emphasis was placed on leveraging tools such as the Africa Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring and Reporting System (WASSMO) and the AIP PIDA Water Investment Scorecard to track water-related investments, improve accountability, and guide future actions.

One of the core objectives of the PCP meeting was to enhance data, knowledge, and reporting mechanisms across the continent to inform better decision-making. Delegates exchanged insights on ongoing water and sanitation initiatives, identified gaps, and recommended future interventions. Key priorities that emerged included ensuring greater access to safe water and sanitation, improving institutional capacity for water governance, and enhancing the coordination of projects spanning transboundary basins and regional economic communities.

In addition to these technical discussions, the meeting allowed stakeholders to share reflections on Africa’s participation at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia. This exchange of experiences envisioned shaping Africa’s position at upcoming global and regional events, such as World Water Week, COP29, and the 9th edition of Africa Water Week.

Expected outcomes of the PCP meeting include enhanced insights into ongoing and planned initiatives and ideas for improving synergies across water and sanitation efforts and organisations. At the core of the consultation were the valuable contributions to the development of a Post-2025 Africa Water Vision and the African Union Water Policy. Also, the groundwork was laid to ensure Africa’s strong and coordinated representation on global platforms and advance a collective and impactful voice on water issues through the Africa Pavilion initiative. Participants at the 5th PCP meeting included representatives from AUC, AMCOW, AfDB, AUDA-NEPAD, UNECA, regional economic communities, basin organisations, civil society networks, development partners, and UN agencies such as UNICEF and UN-Water. These stakeholders are committed to continuing their collaboration to meet Africa’s water and sanitation challenges head-on.

From 20-24 May 2024, the Republic of Indonesia hosted the 10th World Water Forum (WWF10) in Bali under the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity.” This global gathering provided a platform for exploring inclusive and innovative solutions to the world’s pressing water-related challenges, focusing on accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

AMCOW, in collaboration with critical African institutions like the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), played a pivotal role in the Africa Regional Process at WWF10. This effort was supported by the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), River and Lake Basin Organizations (RLBOs), and numerous development partners, ensuring that Africa’s voice was strongly represented.

Africa Regional Process and Preparatory Consultations

AMCOW led an inclusive dialogue process that gathered input from member states and water sector stakeholders across Africa. This effort built consensus on the continent’s key messages for WWF10, reflecting Africa’s unique water and sanitation challenges and opportunities. Major preparatory events included the 2nd Stakeholder Meeting of WWF10, Cairo Water Week 2023, and the 7th AfricaSan Conference in Namibia. These gatherings helped shape Africa’s priorities and strengthen its position ahead of the global forum.

Further, the Africa Regional Process Preparatory Meeting, hosted by the Government of Kenya in Nairobi in March 2024 and a Basin Organizations Network (ANBO) meeting in Dakar in April, finalised Africa’s contributions to WWF10. Eight technical session topics were selected for Africa’s representation at the forum, with discussions focusing on advancing water security, infrastructure investment, and governance frameworks.

AMCOW’s Role at WWF10

During WWF10, AMCOW facilitated Africa’s active participation across eight technical sessions, three special sessions, and two high-level panel discussions. These sessions addressed key themes such as climate finance, transboundary water management, sanitation economies, and gender and youth inclusion in water governance. AMCOW also co-hosted the Africa Pavilion with AfDB, which provided a space for engagement, networking, and knowledge-sharing among water and sanitation stakeholders.

The Africa Pavilion hosted seminars on various topics, including urban sanitation, private sector engagement, and water governance. One of the side events, AMCOW, in collaboration with DHI, hosted a knowledge management session on Building Strategic Knowledge Systems for Efficient Water and Sanitation in Africa. These sessions highlighted Africa’s innovative approaches to overcoming sector challenges and promoting sustainable water management solutions.

Impact and Outcomes

AMCOW ensured a solid and unified African presence at WWF10 through its leadership and coordination. Africa’s key messages emphasised the need for more significant investment in water infrastructure, the importance of climate resilience, and the potential for innovative financing models to drive progress. By championing these priorities, AMCOW helped shape the global water agenda, ensuring that Africa’s specific needs were addressed in the forum’s outcomes. AMCOW’s participation in WWF10 reinforced its commitment to driving progress in water and sanitation across the continent, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and strengthening Africa’s voice on the global stage.

Bali, Indonesia – May 22, 2024

AMCOW and DHI organised a side event at the 10th World Water Forum. It was a very informative session on “Building Strategic Knowledge Systems for Efficient Water and Sanitation in Africa” from 8:30 to 10:00 AM in Kintamani 5.

The session featured vital partners – South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Senegal. It made a case for the essential role of knowledge management in enhancing water and sanitation services across Africa. Also, the session launched the second edition of Africa’s Voice on Water (AVOW) magazine. Overall, it was a huge step in promoting efforts for a water-wise Africa.

The AMCOW and DHI collaboration raises awareness about the benefits of establishing requisite knowledge systems – and showcasing South Africa’s Knowledge Management (KM) strategy for the water and sanitation sector. Senegal showcased Pôle Eau Dakar (PED), a digital solution for providing and improving access to water-related knowledge, guiding water-related investments and supporting informed cooperation and governance processes. Code Kraft, AMCOW’s software-building partner, took participants on a tour of AMCOW’s upgraded Knowledge Hub of Hubs. The blend of exercises gave insight into the long-term benefits of having a central continental repository for enhancing water resources management and delivering sustainable sanitation in Africa.

The session highlighted challenges such as the lack of emphasis on knowledge management – as KM is often overlooked in favour of data and information management, leading to inadequate resources dedicated to KM initiatives. The session further highlighted other challenges, such as the transition from data to knowledge – the difficulty of moving beyond data management to actual knowledge creation and sharing. Also discussed was the issue of evidence-based policy development – strategies and policies are often not evidence-based due to insufficient insights into real situations.

The session further proffered innovative solutions, such as:

• Developing Knowledge Championship: South Africa, like the AMCOW Secretariat, has deployed efforts to drive knowledge building and dissemination and enhance sector data and reporting by developing national-level knowledge focal points.
• Sector Non-technical Database: AMCOW Secretariat unveiled an initiative to build a non-technical database of service providers across the continent – accessible on the knowledge hub of hubs – to accelerate private sector involvement in the sector and networking.
• Senegal’s Pole Eau Dakar (PED): The Republic of Senegal is building a web-based open-access portal to facilitate access to knowledge to guide water and sanitation investments and support governance processes.

Participants were actively engaged throughout the session. A creative video of a football masterclass illustrated the difference between data and knowledge and captivated the audience. Attendees sought clarity on how rural stakeholders without internet access could be engaged. In response, consideration was given to establishing community knowledge centres to facilitate knowledge exchange in local areas. Senegal expressed how it applies quality control protocols in validating information and knowledge resources uploaded to online platforms.

DHI, South Africa, Senegal, and other partners will reconvene at World Water Week in August 2024 to consolidate their preparation for a robust KM programme.

Bali, Indonesia – May 22, 2024

On the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), paid a courtesy call to Nizar Baraka, the Hon. Minister of Equipment and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco. The meeting took place at the Moroccan Pavilion, where we discussed the Kingdom of Morocco’s strong commitment to AMCOW’s goals and its recent election into the AMCOW Policy Organs as Vice President for northern Africa for the 2025-2027 term.

During the meeting, the Executive Secretary thanked the Minister for strengthening Morocco’s commitment to AMCOW and apprised him and his team about the significant activities AMCOW is undertaking. Key among these is the implementation of the AMCOW Strategy, the preparation for the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and the upcoming Africa Water Week. The Executive Secretary emphasised the importance of Morocco’s continued support and encouraged the Minister to consider opportunities to back these initiatives.

The Minister of Water Resources, keen on the developments within AMCOW, inquired about the progress of a roadmap for the post-2025 Africa Water Vision. He stated, “We are glad to be identified with AMCOW, and as the vision is being developed, we are expectant and willing not only to align ourselves but also to provide the needed support to ensure that the vision is implemented.”

This meeting reflects the collaborative efforts between AMCOW and its member states, aiming to enhance water resource management and sanitation across Africa. The commitment from the Kingdom of Morocco sets a promising precedent for future initiatives and collective actions in addressing water challenges on the continent.

As the preparations for the post-2025 Africa Water Vision advance, the support and involvement of countries like Morocco will be vital in achieving sustainable water solutions for the region.