About the 2nd Africa Water Week in South Africa
AMCOW Background
In 1998, the UN agencies recommended that the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) should chair the
Water Working Group of the United Nations System-wide
Initiative on Africa (UNSIA). UNEP, as a first step,
working with other co-chairs, was requested to develop a
strategy for consolidating progress in the work of the
group. Subsequent to the above process, the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was
launched in the year 2001 and its implementation called
for specific responses from governments throughout the
continent.
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The ministers responsible for various sectors were asked
to devise strategies for achieving the goals of NEPAD.
It was recognized that the ministers of water in Africa,
in view of the centrality of water resources in
sustainable development, have a special role to play.
Pursuant to the above, the inauguration of
AMCOW followed on 29-30 April 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria
and was attended by the ministers responsible for water
in Africa, as well as representatives of the African
Union (AU), UNEP, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO),
and African Development Bank (AfDB). The principal
outcome of the meeting was the Abuja Ministerial
Declaration on Water - A Key to Sustainable Development
in Africa, which formally established the African
Ministers’ Council on Water.
The Declaration also outlined agreements on
AMCOW’s institutional arrangements to provide
political leadership and strategic direction to
region-wide efforts in the field of water, the functions
of the Council, principles for providing support to
initiatives, general governance arrangements, and the
establishment of a trust fund. The Abuja Declaration
also culminated in a long process to forge and formalize
a coordination structure for water policy dialogue and
policy in Africa.
AMCOW, like the African Ministerial Conference on
Environment (AMCEN), represents an important milestone
in the growing recognition that Africa must and will
take the lead in bringing sustainable development to the
continent.
The institutional structure of
AMCOW today consists of several political and
technical entities at the regional and sub-regional
levels, working together to achieve the objectives of
AMCOW. The structure is also outlined in the
Memorandum of Understanding governing
AMCOW.
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The Governing Council: The Council serves as the
principal inter-governmental body on water issues and is
composed of all 53 African Ministers responsible for
water affairs in the region.
AMCOW Executive Committee (EXCO): The Executive
Committee comprises the President of the Council and 15
other members—three members elected from each of the
five sub-regions of Africa on a rotational basis. The
members are selected by the sub-regions.
AMCOW Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): The
Committee comprises 25 technical experts, five (5) each
from the five sub-regions of Africa, on a rotational
basis. The sub-regions decide which countries and
experts are to become members of the Committee.
The Sub-regional Committees: These consist of a
Ministerial committee and technical experts responsible
for ensuring that arrangements are in place for
sub-regional coordination on
AMCOW matters as well as providing inputs for the
deliberations of the TAC.
AMCOW Secretariat: The Secretariat is headed by
an Executive Secretary and is responsible for the
day-to-day running of the Secretariat and taking follow
up actions on the decisions of the Council. The
Secretariat is based in Abuja, Nigeria and the Executive
Secretary is Mr. Bai-mass Taal.
AMCOW Strategy Unit: To strengthen its
knowledge-base for informed deliberations and
decision-making,
AMCOW decided to create a Strategy Unit in
collaboration with, and support from some of
AMCOW’s partners.
OPERATIONAL SYSTEM OF AMCOW
AMCOW conducts an Ordinary Session with the full
ministerial contingent of the Governing Council once
every two years, which is preceded by
AMCOW TAC meeting and an EXCO session. TAC takes the
responsibility for policy and strategy formulation,
co-coordinating with other institutions and operational
follow up of the Council decisions within the respective
sub-regions.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
AMCOW’s accomplishments have been driven largely by a
spirit of implementation through partnerships. This is
evident from the endorsement by the 2003 Pan-African
implementation and Partnership Conference on water (PANAFCON)
of a variety of initiatives led by different partners,
such as AfDB (hosting the African Water Facility and
implementing programmes such as the Rural Water Supply
and Sanitation Initiative), UN Water/Africa (mobilizing
scientific and technical expertise and undertaking
initiatives such as the African Water Journal), UNEP
(providing institutional support and hosting the
AMCOW Trust Fund) and development cooperation
partners such as GTZ (providing both financial and
technical support).
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Engaging with NEPAD: AMCOW’s role is to provide
strategic direction for achieving water resources
management objectives through, inter alia, provision of
ministerial responses to the water crisis in Africa,
developing and promoting common African positions and
perspectives on the global water agenda, and providing a
platform for regional dialogue and cooperation on water
policy.
Engaging with AfDB: The African Water Facility (AWF)
is an initiative led by
AMCOW to mobilize and apply resources to finance
water infrastructure and water investment facilities in
Africa and is hosted by the AfDB.
AMCOW and AfDB also collaborate on the Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI).
Cooperation with Regional Economic Communities (RECs):
In 2005,
AMCOW signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
with the Secretariats of Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
and Secretariats of River and Lake Basin Organizations (LBOs).
Cooperation with African River and Lake Basin
Organizations (R/LBOs):
AMCOW, as a region-wide ministerial body, has a
special responsibility and challenge to facilitate
cooperation amongst African River and Lake Basin
Organisations.
Co-operation with African civil society:
Considerable progress has already been made in terms of
engaging civil society in the work of
AMCOW with the formation of the independent ANEW. A
Memorandum of Understanding to guide the relations
between
AMCOW and ANBO has been endorsed.
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION PARTNERS
World Bank Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP):
The WSP has been supporting and collaborating with
AMCOW on supporting the Office of the President on
water and sanitation issues.
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German Technical Cooperation (GTZ): Following a
project implementation agreement between
AMCOW and GTZ in April 2005, priority has been given
to the immediate requirements of
AMCOW’s institutional structure and consultation
mechanisms, including the sub-regional organs of
AMCOW.
Global Water Partnership (GWP): GWP is supporting
African countries to formulate Integrated Water
Resources Management (IWRM) plans for achieving the
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) target
and
AMCOW TAC, with support from GWP, has been directed
to prioritise identification of constraints and
opportunities in financing water sector activities in
the continent.
REPORT
Report of AMCOW to AU
Minutes of Abuja Meeting in July 2009
Joint Statement G8
Consolidated Final Communiqué & Decisions of AMCOW EXCO
Regional Position Paper
DECLARATION
Brazzaville Outcome
eThekwini Declaration
Sharm El Sheik Decision
AWW-1 Declaration
