Four workshops were organized with the objectives to inform stakeholders about the Charter of Good Governance in the Water Sector, to support stakeholders in formalizing their commitment to adhere to the charter, to share between municipalities the good integrity practices developed in their territory and launch integrity activities in new municipalities.
A baseline study to map integrity risks in the sector was carried out by the GWP Benin supported by the Water Intergity Network (WIN) and the OmiDelta Programme through the Non-State Actors Fund coordinated by the Dutch cooperation agency SNV, as part of the improvement of governance in the water and sanitation sector in Benin. This study identified some good integrity practices in the management of water works in some municipalities that are important to share with other municipalities for better governance in the sector.
Two workshops were held on 27 December 2018 and on 24 and 25 January 2019. These workshops come after the workshop on the formalization of the municipalities' adherence to the charter, which took place in Cotonou on 12 December 2018, to allow these municipalities to have elements to strengthen their integrity plan. Both workshops gathered the municipal authorities, local elected representatives, as well as the various categories of actors in the Public Water Service chain (village water supply system (AEV) operators, farmers, landowners' representatives, members of the Municipal Drinking Water Association (ACEP), members of the Citizen Participation Unit (CPC), water users).
During the workshops in each municipality, a diagnosis was carried out based on a tool called the Annotated Water Integrity Assessment (EAIE). A tool based on the principles of Transparency, Accountability and Participation. The diagnosis highlighted good and bad integrity practices in each municipality. As a result of this exercise, a list of good practices was selected, and a number of priority actions selected and planned over the next six months. The CWP will closely monitor these plans with the municipalities.