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Special Messages

AMCOW Welcomes its New Director of Programmes (DP)- Mr Nelson Gomonda

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) welcomes a new Director of Programmes in the person of Mr Nelson Gomonda.

Nelson Gomonda is a highly accomplished development professional from Malawi with a track record of over 26 years in the field. With a strong focus on the Water and Sanitation Sector, he has amassed over 15 years of consistent experience at various levels.

Recently, Nelson served as the Senior Policy Specialist at WaterAid, where he played a pivotal role in driving governance initiatives. Before this, he was a consultant supporting renowned institutions, including the African Union. During his tenure at the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, Nelson excelled as a Water Supply and Sanitation Consultant for over three years until December 2021.

His expertise extends to his time at Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), where he contributed as a WASH Specialist in supporting High-Level Political Dialogue held at UNICEF in New York. Nelson’s impactful work also includes his leadership role at the Africa Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) Secretariat in Abuja, where he spearheaded the development of a web-based monitoring and reporting system for Africa’s water and sanitation sector.

Throughout his career, Nelson has garnered valuable experience working with esteemed organizations such as WaterAid, the European Union (EU) Delegation in Malawi, the DFID-supported Poverty and Policy Project, the UNDP-supported Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy (MPRS) project under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, and GIZ.

Nelson holds a Master’s Degree in Policy Studies, which he earned in 2000 through a joint program offered by the Universities of Zimbabwe and Fort Hare in South Africa. His multifaceted background and his passion for sustainable development position him as a seasoned professional in driving positive change within the Water and Sanitation Sector.

Join us to receive Nelson heartily as he resumes office on 1 July 2023 at AMCOW Secretariat to continue his impactful work advancing water and sanitation initiatives across Africa.

News

Introductory Meeting with AMCOW Knowledge Management Focal Points

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has organised an introductory meeting for its first batch of knowledge management (KM) focal persons from 13 member states. It is a significant step forward in its commitment to enhancing KM in the water and sanitation sector. This initiative aligns with the Africa Water and Sanitation Knowledge Management Challenge, launched by AMCOW during the Stockholm World Water Week 2021.

26 Focal Points (14 males, 12 females) attended the meeting, representing Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Botswana, and Rwanda. These professionals bring diverse expertise in water supply engineering, general water research, groundwater research, hydrogeology, international relations, water resources development, urban sanitation, data management, geology, knowledge management, and more.

The introductory meeting aimed to welcome the KM Focal Points, familiarise them with the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge and outline the upcoming activities. In his opening remarks, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of AMCOW, represented by Patrice Leumeni, AMCOW’s Monitoring and Reporting Lead, emphasised the importance of the initiative. The Focal Points will undergo training in KM principles and practices and develop country-specific KM strategies. Their contributions will help create a continental Knowledge Agenda for Africa’s water and sanitation sector. They will also help to drive the broader awareness and use of the yearly Africa Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring (WASSMO) Report produced by AMCOW. Dr Mbaziira also expressed his desire for the Focal Points to actively participate in AMCOW’s sub-regional consultations to deepen their understanding of AMCOW’s programmes.

The meeting featured presentations that provided an overview of AMCOW, the composition of activities within the Knowledge Management Challenge, and subsequent implementation plans. Additionally, the Focal Points were informed that they would also serve as drivers for gender and youth inclusion in their respective countries, where such initiatives may not yet be in place.

An exciting highlight of the meeting was the realisation that the Focal Points would play a vital role in fostering robust south-south collaboration, knowledge creation, and exchange among AMCOW member state through the outlined initiatives. AMCOW Secretariat, in cooperation with its partners, will continue to cultivate and strengthen this initiative while also mobilising the participation of other member states to achieve the target nomination of 110 focal points (two from each country, one male and one female). The Knowledge Management Challenge was launched by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia and AMCOW President 2020-2022, H E Carl Hermann Schlettwein. Water This introductory meeting marks a significant milestone in AMCOW’s ongoing commitment to improving African water and sanitation practices through enhanced knowledge management. The dedication and expertise of the Focal Points will play a crucial role in achieving the goals of the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge, contributing to sustainable development across the continent.

FeaturedNews

Day 1 of AMCOW’s 13th General Assembly Sparks Expectancy and Renewed Commitment to Africa’s Water Vision

Over 41 African Member States gathered today at the African Ministers’ Council on Water’s (AMCOW) 13th General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt. The highly anticipated event, held under the esteemed leadership of Dr Tahani Sileet, Chairperson of AMCOW’s Technical Advisory Committee, saw the participation of Technical Advisory Committee members from 41 countries and various partners.

The General Assembly began with captivating opening remarks from esteemed personalities, setting the stage for an impactful meeting. Dr Rashid Mbaziira, Executive Secretary of AMCOW, presented the Governance Framework and Rules of Procedures, providing a solid foundation for the statutory meetings. The discussions that followed were nothing short of remarkable.

(From left to right) Engr Tahani Sileet, Head of Central Department for External Cooperation Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
The Arab Republic of Egypt and AMCOW TAC Chair, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary

Participants were treated to an inspiring documentary film – An Overview of AMCOW – that shed light on the history and purpose of AMCOW. The film eloquently captured the motivations of AMCOW’s founding leaders and emphasised the critical value of water. Notably, Mr Bai Mas Tall, the first substantive Executive of AMCOW, passionately proclaimed that AMCOW stands as the only Ministerial Council on Water worldwide.

Buoyed up by these powerful anecdotes, attendees delved into other crucial presentations, including the AMCOW Strategy 2018-2030, the 2022 Annual Report on the Implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration (also known as the Africa Water and Sanitation Monitoring Report), the Audit Report on the Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st December 2022, and 2023. The revised AMCOW Gender and Youth Inclusion Strategy took centre stage, garnering extensive attention as it neared adoption and presentation to the Council of Ministers. Ensuring that the strategy genuinely reflected the voice of the Member States became a shared priority.

According to Dr Tahani, the urgency to facilitate action on achieving the water and sanitation goals of the continent cannot be overemphasised. Hence this 13th Ordinary Session of the General Assembly at this time.

Following a rejuvenating health break, participants invested significant time deliberating the Action on Water Adaptation and Resilience (AWARe) initiative and AMCOW’s involvement at the UN 2023 Water Conference. These conversations illuminated the regional and national priorities embedded in AMCOW’s work programmes.

Moreover, the meeting addressed the importance of increasing Member States’ involvement in AMCOW’s programs and the need to sustain initiatives within AMCOW even as they evolve into institutionalised entities. The sense of unity and shared commitment among participants fueled anticipation for the outcomes of this gathering.

As the 13th General Assembly unfolds, hopes run high for its transformative impact on the water sector. The post-2025 Africa Water Vision is set to receive a substantial boost, with countries eagerly raising their priorities and embracing an invigorated drive towards its realisation. AMCOW remains steadfast in its mission to guide and implement strategies that ensure Africa’s water resources are managed sustainably and inclusively.

This General Assembly is a testament to African Member States’ enduring dedication and collective determination to overcome water challenges and create a brighter future for the continent. With renewed energy and shared aspirations, AMCOW marches towards a future where clean water and sanitation are accessible to all Africans.

Press Release

Egypt to Host AMCOW’s 13th General Assembly

The 13th Ordinary Session of the General Assembly (GA) of the Governing Council of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) will be hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt in Cairo.

The GA, which will hold from 13-15 June 2023, will consider and guide the formulation and pursuits of AMCOW aspirations and ongoing interventions. These include mobilising the active involvement of the Member States and partners in the formulation of the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and advocating cooperation in the management of water resources through multi-sectoral approaches and water-energy-food-ecosystem perspectives.

The GA will also raise its profile and increase awareness of the value of water as the most precious resource for life and key to climate change adaptation and resilience. The assembly also presents a platform for setting a biennial agenda for Africa’s water and sanitation sector by the Council of Ministers. The principles of a bottom-up-top-down approach will be applied to adopt continental policy initiatives informed by Member States’ priorities at the national and regional levels.

Similarly, ownership of these initiatives is demonstrated by their domestication for implementation at the appropriate levels. It is in this regard that AMCOW executes its mandate as the working group on water and sanitation of the Africa Union’s Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (ARDWE).

The expected outcome would guide cooperative action in the management of Africa’s water resources to support continent-wide aspirations for social transformation, economic growth, regional integration, peace and security. It will also guide the application of information and knowledge resources to promote best practices in water policy reforms and water, food and energy security.

The Council would also agree on transboundary water resources management and water services provision, initiatives, action on climate change adaptation and mitigation studies and developing policies and strategies for mitigating and managing water-related disaster risks.

AMCOW plans to strengthen mechanisms to assure commensurate financial flows to the sector to deliver on continental and global commitments to achieve African water and sanitation goals.

About 135 participants are expected, including representatives of the African Union Commission (AUC), the 55 Ministers responsible for water, 55 TAC and Technical Experts Committees (TEC) members, staff of the Ministry for Water and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt and AMCOW secretariat.

Photo Credit. Nile River by Harold Edwin Hurst, Charles Gordon Smith, Magdi M. El-Kammash: Encyclopedia Britannica

Uncategorized

Africa Shapes a Kampala Declaration on Transboundary Water Resources Management

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.

News

AMCOW Secretariat discusses with Kenya plans for its 13th General Assembly

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.

News

Africa Water Facility Publishes its 2023 Newsletter

Africa Water Facility Newsletter

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:

https://knowledgehub.amcow-online.org/admin/resources/working-for-water-issue1

Africa Water Facility Newsletter 2023

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:

https://knowledgehub.amcow-online.org/admin/resources/oeuvrer-pour-lacces-a-leau-numero-1

News

Furthering Commitments to Transboundary Water Cooperation in Africa

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Click here to download the Kampala Declaration.

Special Messages

Remarks of the AMCOW Executive Secretary at the Stakeholder Engagement in Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa on 23 – 26 MAY 2023.

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:

  1. 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:

  1. food security and nutritional safety;
  2. energy sufficiency, industrialisation and modernisation of our economies;
  3. human and environmental health and the associated improvements in productivity;
  4. improvements in opportunities for trade, employment and prosperity for all; and,
  5. 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.

I thank you.

Press Release

ANBO, NBI, AMCOW, GIZ and the World Bank hold a High-level Stakeholder Engagement on Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa

PRESS RELEASE
May 19, 2023

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.