On 15-18 November 2022, AMCOW joined the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation (ESAWAS) at the first African Water Supply and Sanitation Regulators Conference. The workshop, held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, aimed to change the water supply and sanitation regulation narrative across Africa through strengthened sector accountability.

African water professionals convened in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 7-8 November 2022 for a final consultation on the mid-term review of the UN Water Action Decade implementation. Led by the African Union Commission, the engagement was jointly coordinated by the UN Economic Commission of Africa (ECA), the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and the African Development Bank.

The meeting was declared open by Dr Adam Karia, Rector and Executive Water Officer of Tanzania Water Institute, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Eng. Anthony Sanga. Other participants include representatives of the AU, Member States, regional economic communities, river and lake basins, civil societies and relevant institutions.

In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution “International Decade (2018–2028) for Action – Water for Sustainable Development” to help put a greater focus on the water during the ten years ahead. This meeting prepares Africa’s position ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference.

The 2^nd regional consultation reviewed the first report and outcome statements, which took place on the 13 and 14th of June 2022. The second consultation identified the gaps in the first report and made proposals to improve the record. Through this engagement, the participants adopted Africa’s priorities. Participants agreed on a harmonised approach for presenting Africa’s inputs to the Mid-Term Review of the International Water Decade, “Water for Sustainable Development”, in March 2023.

Considering the overarching water needs as postulated in the Africa Water Vision 2025 and Agenda 2063. The meeting received presentations on the following:

i. Objectives and expected outcomes of the Water Action Decade’s regional consultations,

ii. African Union Technical Paper, Africa’s water, sanitation and hygiene progress and

iii. The Blue Deal for Water Security and Sanitation for Development and Peace set the stage for meaningful interventions

Group and plenary sessions were conducted, and participants provided inputs on regional priorities across the five themes from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Dialogue of water for development, climate resilience, cooperation, health, and water action decade.

In a speech on his behalf, the AUC Director for Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE), Mr Harsen Nyambe, commended the Executive Committee (EXCO) of the Governance of AMCOW. He stated that the AUC was happy to see the 13th Ordinary Session – call for consolidation of the Africa common position and input to the UN 2023 Water Conference.

At the preparatory engagement of the second consultation, AMCOW’s Acting Director of Programmes, Dr Azzika Tanko, said, “the meeting provides an opportunity to fill the gaps between the first, the AMCOW EXCO meeting and the 2022 WASSMO report – to consolidate key messages to the UN 2023 Water Conference in 2023.”

In a statement on his behalf, ECA Director for Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management, Mr Jean-paul Adam, underlined the need for bolder and transformative interventions in the second half of the Water Action Decade. In this regard, he said that innovative financing sources for water are essential and shared work being carried out by ECA and partners, including on green and sustainability bonds and the Great Blue Wall Initiative.

At the end of the two days, participants considered and refined messages for the high-level political forum and Water for Sustainable Development Conference (WAD 2023), the roadmap of reviews and activities, African inputs into the Groundwater Summit 2022, road Map of activities to International Decade Mid-Term Review Conference 2023 and the recommendations on the revitalisation of UN-Water Africa.

Click on this link for a report on the first Africa regional consultation.

On 3-4 November 2022, the 22nd Governing Council Meeting of the African Water Facility and 2nd Donors Meeting, held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire – with AMCOW in participation.

The AWF, an initiative of AMCOW, is a crucial instrument hosted by the African Development Bank for funding projects preparation towards pursuing water and sanitation goals in Africa.

The meeting was attended by representatives of organisations, including the, the Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Republic of Ghana, S E M Sidonie Moussirou, Le ministre délégué auprès du ministre d’État, ministre de l’Énergie et des Ressources hydrauliques, Ms Tine Anbaek, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Ms Agnes Moser, Austrian Development Agency, Mr Aage Jorgensen, Nordic Development Fund, Mr James Dumpert, USAID, Jan Willem Rosenboom, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, M Ridha Gabouj, Director General Tunisia, Mr Osward Chanda, Director AHWS/AWF, and Mr Johannes Mtchera Chirwa, Coordinator AWF.

As part of the annual statutory meetings of AWF, the 22^nd GCM reviewed the progress of the fiscal year of 2022, gave strategic direction, and approved the work plan and budget for 2023. As a Member of the Governing Council, AMCOW’s involvement in the AWF’s statutory meeting is essential to set the agenda for supporting project preparation. The event presented an opportunity for the AMCOW Secretariat and the AWF to reinforce the implementation of their work plans as follows mutually:

• To jointly work on investment promotion/resources mobilisation activities;
• To leverage AMCOW’s convening mandate to facilitate dialogue processes among riparian Member States to unblock bottlenecks constraining progress on implementing transboundary projects; and,
• To utilise engagements with the leadership of Member States to draw attention to sorely needed solutions to the political challenges faced on some of the projects.

The 22^nd Governing Council Meeting of the AWF made critical decisions on the following:

1. The endorsement of the plans for investment promotion to secure downstream investment for AWF grant-funded investment-ready projects
2. Continued engagement between the AWF and partners to articulate an appropriate mechanism for supporting project preparation, particularly in non-fragile Member States. Mechanisms modelled on a reimbursable grant window to be explored to strengthen the sustainability of the Facility;
3. Endorsement of agreed changes to AWF Operational Procedures and Establishment instrument;
4. Approval to operationalise a dedicated window for the Africa Urban Sanitation Fund (AUSIF); and,
5. The approval of the 2023 AWF Work Plan and Budget.

The AWF will continue its revitalisation effort to assure the world of its relevance in supporting Africa’s funding requirements for project preparation. On the other hand, AMCOW Secretariat will continue to work with the AWF team to advance the opportunities for mutual reinforcement of the implementation of each other’s work plans.

Under the Rules of Procedure of the Governing Council of AMCOW, the 13^th Ordinary Session of the Executive Committee of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) convened in Windhoek, Namibia, on 10-13 October 2022.

The 13^th EXCO was hosted under Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, led by the Honourable Minister and AMCOW’s President, His Excellency Carl Herman Gustav Schlettwein. The meeting was chaired by Mrs Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Executive Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia and AMCOW Technical Advisory Committee Chairperson.

African Ministers responsible for water affairs in attendance were:

H.E. Hon. Carl Hermann Gustav Schlettwein; the AMCOW President and Minister for Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia, Her Excellence Cecília Chamutota; AMCOW Vice President – Southern Africa, and Vice Minister for Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, H.E. Hon. Engr Suleiman ADAMU; AMCOW Vice President – West Africa, Minister for Water Resources, Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Hon. Serigne Mbaye THIAM; Minister for Hydraulics and Sanitation, Republic of Senegal, H.E. Hon. Prof. Dr Hani Atef Nabhan Sweilam; Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Arab Republic of Egypt, and Hon. Jumaa Hamidu AWESO (MP); Minister for Water, United Republic of Tanzania.

Her Excellency Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission, joined the meeting virtually. The Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy of the AUC, Mr HarsemnNyambe, was present to represent the Commissioner in person.

Hon. John Francis Bande, Deputy Minister for Water and Sanitation, represented Malawi. Mr Sylvain Guebanda represented the Central African Republic, Dr Zebene Lakew Teffera represented Ethiopia and H E Hon. Kone Sakaria represented Cote d’Ivoire.

The Ordinary Session comprised the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) session (from 10-12 October 2022) and the Ministerial Session (on 13 October 2022).

The EXCO received and considered progress reports on the implementation of the AMCOW Work Programme, the 2021 audit and financial progress report, AMCOW’s 3-Year Programme and budget and other matters arising from continental initiatives.

Rising on 13 October 2022, the 13th Ordinary Session of EXCO took the following decisions in the link below:

https://knowledgehub.amcow-online.org/resource/decisions-of-the-13th-ordinary-session-of-the-executive-committee-of-the-governing-council-of-amcow-held-on-13th-october-2022-in-windhoek-namibia

The 13th Ordinary Session of the Executive Committee of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) convened in Windhoek, Namibia, on 10-13 October 2022.

Since the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has intensified engagement and closer work with African Ministers responsible for water and sanitation. The idea is to discuss Member States’ water and sanitation priorities and possible solutions to their challenges. Also, the Secretariat apprises the Ministers of AMCOW’s programmes and project activities – to get their continued strategic advisory and oversight.

On Friday, 16th of September, AMCOW’s Executive Secretary, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, was on a courtesy visit with the Minister for Hydraulic and Sanitation, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, H. E. Sidi Mohamed Ould TALEB AMAR. 

A critical issue discussed during the meeting was the impacts of the flood in Mauritania – caused by heavy rains and the emergency action plan.

Also, they discussed AMCOW’s Governance Structure, including Mauritania’s role as AMCOW’s Vice President for North Africa, the mobilisation of EXCO Ministers from North Africa, and the Hon. Minister’s participation at COP27 Egypt. The Hon. Minister and Dr Rashid deliberated on AMCOW’s role and mandate as a support mechanism to the African Union‘s Specialised Technical Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE). 

They further deliberated on the Honourable Minister’s participation in the upcoming AMCOW Executive Council (EXCO) meeting hosted by Namibia in October 2022.

You can read more about AMCOW Secretariat’s engagement with Nigeria’s Hon. Engr Suleiman, Mozambique’s H.E. Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita, H E Muhammed Aty of Egypt, and the Deputy Minister for Water and Sanitation, Republic of Malawi, Hon. John Bande.

The AMCOW Secretariat is seeking a Data Analyst and Visualisation Consultant (DAVC) to support analysis and visualisation and provide quality assurance checks on the data to produce the 2022 WASSMO report for high-level recommendations and decisions.