A number of international agreements and transboundary river basin organisations (RBOs) have been established to facilitate the cooperative management of these shared water-courses, as well as minimise conflicts between riparian states. However, their long-term sustainability remains a challenge and there is need for knowledge and experience sharing at the continental level.
In this context, the European Commission is supporting a Project aimed at strengthening regional cooperation for the sustainable management of transboundary waters in Africa, through programmatic and institutional strengthening of the African Network of Basin Organisations (ANBO), under the overall framework of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW). The Inception Phase for the Project is expected to take 12 months, starting in 2012. Its scope includes the following aspects:
• Institutional strengthening of ANBO;
• Legal frameworks for RBOs;
• Capacity building;
• Knowledge management;
• Financing mechanisms.
A follow-up Implementation Phase of two years duration is envisaged, subject to the outcome of the Inception Phase.
The Project will be implemented by the African Network of Basin Organisations in partnership with the Global Water Partnership (GWP). A joint ANBO/GWP Project Steering Committee (PSC) will be established to guide the Project. A Project Management Team (PMT) will be established at the ANBO Technical Secretariat (the Organisation for the Development of the Senegal River, OMVS).
Project
Strengthening the institutions for transboundary water resources management in Africa (SITWA) – a joint ANBO/GWP Project
Overall objective
To strengthen regional cooperation at the political, economic and stakeholder level for sustainable management of transboundary water resources in Africa contributing to peace and security, stability and poverty alleviation, relying on African knowledge.
Specific objectives
1. Technical (programmatic and institutional) assistance to ANBO. The Project aims to transform ANBO into a sustainable and influential organisation, as a pillar under the AU and AMCOW framework, that supports the development of lake and river basin organisations as catalysts for policy and institutional development, knowledge and information management and capacity development on transboundary water management and development.
2. Improving water governance for transboundary water resources in Africa under the platform of ANBO. ANBO with GWP support will provide technical assistance to the RBOs (through the Regional Economic Communities and their respective member states) to develop Integrated Water Resources Management Strategies and Plans (including addressing vulnerability to floods and droughts, priority issues for short and long term development, water quantity analyses and water quality objectives, etc.) in the river basins where they are not yet developed, and to implement plans where they exist.
Duration: 3 years
• One year Inception Phase, starting in 2012
• Two year Implementation Phase, subject to the outcome of the Inception Phase
Implementation
African Network of Basin Organisations and Global Water Partnership. Funded by the European Commission, 3 million Euros.
ANBO
ANBO was created in 2002 to facilitate and support the establishment and strengthening of basin organisations in Africa, based on the principles of IWRM. ANBO promotes stakeholder participation in the development of basin management plans and strategies, the setting up of integrated information systems as well as the user-payer and polluter-payer principles.
GWP
The Global Water Partnership is an intergovernmental organisation of 13 Regional Water Partnerships, 80 Country Water Partnerships and more than 2,500 Partner organisations in 161 countries. The GWP network is committed to building a water secure world with the mission to support the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels. www.gwp.org