May 2014: Participants from Eastern, Southern and Western Africa called for increased attention to integrity issues in the water sector at the First African Water Integrity Summit. The Summit agreed on a Lusaka Statement that was submitted to the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) for its consideration.

The Summit, which took place under the theme ‘Accelerating towards a Water Secure World,’ marked the conclusion of a three-year Regional Capacity Building Programme on Water Integrity for sub-Saharan Africa, which trained over 500 water professionals on how to respond to misconduct in the water sector. The Summit showcased initiatives from across Africa that produced visible benefits in communities and countries, sometimes in the face of strong resistance, and called for political leaders to commit to water integrity as a tool that has already proven its merit in practice.

The Lusaka Statement emphasizes integrity as a core element of good water governance, noting “there is no sustainability without integrity.” It recommends mainstreaming water integrity in all sector policies and institutions, including in business models in water service provision, investment projects and legislation.

Institutional capacities pose “a significant bottleneck” for the development, implementation, enforcement and coordination of effective policies, according to the statement. It calls for additional investments in capacity development at all levels to close the region’s capacity gap.

The Statement further recognizes, inter alia: participation of informed stakeholders and a strong civil society as key driving forces for change towards integrity in Africa; and managing and maintaining the integrity of water resources as a part of managing water with integrity.

AMCOW’s General Assembly and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) are expected to consider and endorse the Statement. It is also anticipated to considered at Africa Water Week, which will take place in Dakar, Senegal in May 2014.

Over 90 participants attended the Summit, including stakeholders from 22 African countries. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) Water Governance Facility, UNDP Cap-Net, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the Water Integrity Network (WIN) and Water Net organized the Summit, which took place from 29-30 in Lusaka, Zambia. [Summit Website] [Publication: Lusaka Statement] [SIWI Blog on the Summit] [SIWI Blog on the Summit 2] [Summit Programme] [Summit Photographs] [IISD RS Sources]