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.

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.

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:

• Registration: register here. Upon registration, an automatic invitation by the host governments will be available for download. This invitation letter will also be used to apply for a visa.
• Book accommodation here: https://africawaterweek.amcow-online.org/recommended-hotels. These hotels are closer to the conference venue.
• Regular updates about the conference can be accessed via the website https://africawaterweek.amcow-online.org/ and on our social media platforms.
• For visa information, click here: https://www.egyptembassy.org/travel/visa-requirements/

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

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 9^th Africa Water Week.

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