Ongoing Initiatives

The special nature of the AWF requires that adequate resources are devoted to undertaking a wide range of organizational activities which are essential to the effective operation of the Facility. Linkages with AfDB, AMCOW, contributing donors and many other partners, involvement of mutiple coordination bodies, requirement for special operations and instruments and strategies; and need for effective outreach and communications, are all reasons why the Facility has been devoting much time and internal resources to ensuring that its operations flow smoothly. The AWF undertake a range of activities aimed at coordinating and managing its internal activities, and providing assistance to AMCOW and other stakeholders, as described below. 

 1. Strengthening Partnerships and Communications

Building strong partnership, both between the AWF and its stakeholders, and between regional and national organizations, is essential for success. In this regard, the African Water Facility works closely with a wide range of organizations at global, regional, and country level to build consensus on effective policies and practices, coordinate activities, leverage resources, build capacity and enhance advocacy. The main areas of focus are:

• Establishing Cooperative Working Relationships: The effectiveness or impact of the Facility depends to a large extent on the quality of its working relationships. The AWF places great emphasis on establishing cooperative working relationships with a wide variety of external partners such as pan-African or regional initiatives, multilateral and bilateral donor organizations, and national government agenices. I naddition to traditional partnerships with governments and donor agencies, the AWF works at increasing cooperation with private operators, financiers, professional networks, academia, consumer organizations, NGOs, and civil society.

• Leveraging AWF Resources through Partnership: There are many opprotunities to leverage AWF resources through collaboration with other partners. These may include co-financing projects and programmes, providing direct financial support to external organizations and initiatives to implement activities of mutual interest, and out-sourcing projects to other entities.

• Outreach Activities: The AWF is regularly involved in various outreach activities to strengthen its regional and international presence, and to forge cooperation and good working relationship with other actors in the African water sector. These centre on participation in meetings, workshops, conferences and task forces.

• Ensuring Effective Communications: The attainment of the objectives of the AWF and the effective implementation of the AWF programme will require efficient and systematic communications with focus on stakeholders' awareness and participation. Following the approval of the Communications Strategy in 2006, the AWF has been actively implementing various strategy recommendations such as: improving its new website, regularly disseminating information, coordinating communication activities with those of the AfDB, and effectively engaging with the media.

  2. Promoting Strategic Initiatives

As a flag ship of AMCOW, the AWF will instigate and promote strategic initiatives in support of AMCOW agenda. This will contribute to and assist AMCOW in providing oversight, guidance, and advisory support to RMCs and other partners.

  3. Providing Operational Support

AWF staff and consultants undertake various types of operational support activities aimed at ensuring effective project and programme management. These include project preparation, appraisal and supervision activities, participation in AWF project related workshops, undertaking status assessments, and long and short term planning. As well, the AWF is further consolidating and strengthening its operations through the refinement of key operational instruments and tools for effective portofolio management throughout the project cycle.

AWF’s objective is to support the establishment and enhancement of information and knowledge management capabilities at national and regional levels in coordination with all concerned stakeholders.

As a result, reliable information and knowledge will be made available for water resources development planning and implementation at these levels.

The expected outcome is to provide increased quality and sustainability of investments due to the provision of comprehensive information. Such an improved needs assessment and improved data would ultimately result in solid and sound investment programmes.

AWF supports the following activities:

• Undertake an assessment of the overall situation per country.
• Establish the standards and mechanisms for information management in the water sector.
• Establishment or strengthening of national water information management systems.
• Collection and analysis of water data and related information.
• Other activities that may be supported include:
• Promotion of best practices, innovative technologies.
• Promotion of partnerships with education and research institutions, and undertaking of education and awareness programmes.
• Research programmes and compatible research activities.

The following indicators and targets will be used to measure progress:

• Country assessments and definition of standards for all RMCs completed by December 2006.
• Number of countries for which standards and mechanisms are established.
• By 2009 all RMCs will have appropriate mechanisms:
• Number of countries for which existing information systems are strengthened or new ones established. By 2009 at least 20 countries will have reliable information systems.
• Improvement in the type and quality of data and information used for planning and implementation of water resources development. By 2009 at least 20 countries will have better quality data for IWRM.

The overall objective is to support the establishment of water sector M&E systems and management capabilities at national and regional levels in consultation with stakeholders.

As a result, improved M&E standards and methodologies will be developed, and regular M&E reporting mechanisms will be established and become operational in RMCs. The availability of timely and regular monitoring and evaluation results will enhance planning, implementation and management of water sector investments.

This will also serve as a tool for RMCs for managing for results in the Water sector, as agreed upon in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in March 2005 (Ownership, Harmonisation, Alignment, Results and Mutual Accountability).

Support will be provided for the following activities:

• Assessment of the overall situation for each country to establish the baseline;
• Provide support to the proposed African regional monitoring and evaluation mechanism for water supply and sanitation in accordance with the mandate given at the Paris Declaration;
• Development of national monitoring indicators and standards;
• Promote agreement among the main stakeholders on appropriate indicators to monitor, under the leadership of AMCOW;
• Establishment or strengthening of national monitoring and evaluation systems and institutions;
• Programmes or project impact assessments.

The following indicators and targets will be used to measure progress:

• Country assessments completed by December 2006;
• Monitoring indicators and standards developed by December 2006;
• Agreement on monitoring indicators reached by 2007;
• Number of existing national M&E systems strengthened or new systems developed. At least 18 countries will be producing regular and reliable M&E reports by year 2009.