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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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
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.

Honourable Eng Suleiman Adamu,

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

All protocols observed.

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 20^th Anniversary celebrations without a doubt one of the highlights of the 9^th 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.