8 November 2012: The future objective of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) was the subject of discussion between Rhoda Tumusiime, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, and Mohammed Bahaa ei-Din Saad, President of AMCOW.

Under the thematic approach of “Water for Growth in Africa,” Tumusiime and Saad aim to address issues hindering the achievement of the Africa Water Vision (AWV) 2025 and the AU’s July 2008 Sharm el Sheikh Declaration on Water and Sanitation.

Discussions between the AU Commission (AUC) and AMCOW focused on integrating AU and AMCOW initiatives in order to effectively address the remaining challenges in the water and sanitation sectors. Participants decided to: consolidate the working methodology between the AUC and AMCOW; develop a Pan-African water agenda to implement the Sharm el Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa; and devise strategic ways to raise the profile of water and sanitation.

Discussions also highlighted the challenges for ensuring access to adequate water and sanitation. They further underscored the importance of enhanced efforts to implement the water agenda in Africa, based on the principles of the AWV 2025 and the Sharm el Sheikh Declaration on Water and Sanitation. Tumusiime called for better organization and collaboration among States to enhance efforts to increase access to water and sanitation.

AMCOW is an AU specialized committee for water and sanitation that was formed in 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria, to promote cooperation, security, social and economic development and poverty eradication among member States through the management of water resources and provision of water supply services. It aims to provide political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for the sustainable, social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems. [AU Press Release] [AMCOW Website] [AU Website]