ANEW News

ANEW coordinates CSO inputs for AU summit discussions

ANEW was actively involved in coordinating CSO inputs on the discussions for this year's AU summit theme, “Investing in Agriculture for economic growth and food security”. About 20 ANEW members were invited to the CSO pre-summit meeting which was held in Tripoli, Libya on 20-22 June. The ANEW team worked to ensure that water and sanitation featured prominently in the final CSO statement. The CSO discussions directly linked water and sanitation to agriculture, food security and economic growth. The CSO Statement is set to be read during the opening ceremony of the Heads of State and Government meeting scheduled to take place on July this year in Libya. ANEW is thankful to all those who contributed to the success of this process and also in the preparation of the letter which was earlier sent out to the African heads of states by respective national networks.

Read the Summary of CSO Statement

Read the CSO statement in English [PDF]

Read the CSO statement in French [PDF]

Read the latest ANEW monthly news bulletin

The April 2009 news bulletin from ANEW is now available.

English Français [PDF]

ANEW launch monthly news bulletin

This is the first of many information materials that ANEW will be publishing regularly to support their work and for members to learn from each other and network so as to strengthen their capacity to influence. In the first issue you’ll find updates from the sub regions and secretariat.

Read the bulletin English Français

Sanitation forum to push East African governments to deliver on commitments

Last week ANEW, WaterAid and other key stakeholders within East Africa held a two day follow up conference to Africasa+5. Governments made commitments to develop an action plan in order to put Africa back on track to meeting the MDG target on sanitation but, in Eastern Africa, fears have been raised that sanitation is still lagging behind. More than 70 participants from 8 different countries met to review the progress made. The conference culminated in the signing of a communiqué, known as the Nairobi Declaration by all actors calling on East African governments to urgently address the sanitation crisis in the region.

Find out more (PDF)

High level African event on meeting the MDG targets on WatSan

The African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), African Development Bank (AfDB) and UN-Water Africa, in collaboration with partners, organised a series of meetings in Ethiopia in October. The purpose of the meetings was to consider strategies for carrying forward the key pan-African declarations made this year. Only Rwanda and Senegal have so far developed and submitted their plans to AMCOW following the eThekwini Declaration. ANEW was represented by Chairman, Prof. Edward Kairu.

ANEW ENGAGE AND INFLUENCE AT HIGH LEVEL CONFERENCES

In 2008, members of ANEW have actively participated in the African Sanitation Conference (AfricaSan+5) and the first African Water Week (AWW)

ANEW influences the United Nations

The Executive Secretary of ANEW, Jamillah Mwanjisi, attended the UN High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), held in New York in September. She spoke at a high-level poverty-hearing and at the Water and Sanitation Partnership Event. She came away feeling disappointed by the lack of specific commitments from African leaders for water and sanitation despite the political commitments made earlier this year at the AU Summit and at AfricaSan.

ANEW influence at the African Union

ANEW worked with the Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission to facilitate discussions at a pre-summit meeting ahead of July’s AU summit in Egypt, around how to influence the African Heads of State. Geof Khwarae was among the ANEW delegation at the pre-meeting and Jamillah Mwanjisi, the Executive Secretary of ANEW was a representative at the AU Summit itself. The meeting resulted in a CSO declaration at the opening ceremony of the AU summit. But the event lacked a clear roadmap for the future when it ended days later.

Find out more

First African Water Week (AWW)

March 2008

Eight ANEW members attended AWW in March. ANEW board member, Malick Gaye gave a presentation about effective stakeholders’ roles and partnerships. The conference was a good opportunity to raise the profile of ANEW and a commitment to collaborate with ANEW was included in the Ministerial Declaration.

Find out more about the week

African Sanitation Conference (AfricaSan+5)

February 2008

At AfricaSan, ANEW organized side meetings with the AfDB and AMCOW and presented a statement at the closing ceremony urging governments and their partners in development to commit to attaining the MDG target on sanitation. 32 ministers signed up to the African Ministerial Declaration and committed their aspirations for governments to set aside 0.5% GDP for sanitation and incorporate in to their national plans.

Read the eThekwini (Ministerial) Declaration

Read Jamillah Mwanjisi’s impressions and more on ANEW’s role at AfriSan

Read ANEW's civil society statement delivered at the closing ceremony

Decent sanitation down the drain

ANEW member, Simphiwe Nojiyeza is a researcher at the Centre for Civil Society within the School of Development Studies of University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban.

He participated in the South African Water Caucus's Civil Society Sanitation Consultation at AfriSan in February 2008 and co wrote the polemic think piece 'Decent sanitation down the drain' on the state of sanitation in South Africa.

Read it here

Maji na Ufanisi, Kenya receives UN Habitat Award

On World Habitat Day, Nairobi based NGO, Maji na Ufanisi, was presented with a National Human Settlement Award from the Minister of Housing in recognition of their contribution to increasing accessibility of water and provision of sanitary facilities in slum areas.

Edward Kairu received the award on behalf of Maji na Ufanisi, the organization which hosts the ANEW secretariat.

Kenyan CSOs form a WATSAN Network

CSOs in Kenya have formed the Kenya water and sanitation Network (KEWASNET) to address the need for a single voice and joint action in the water and sanitation sector. KEWASNET plans to work with several stakeholders including the government, private sector and similar regional networks. In the next few months, KEWASNET plans to have a database of WATSAN CSOs in Kenya as well as create platforms for public debates on water and sanitations services.

Find out more

Water and Sanitation Resource Centre established in Uganda

A Resource Centre intended to serve as a central information and knowledge management hub for the sector in Uganda has been set up by Network for Water and Sanitation Uganda (NETWAS Uganda) Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET), Uganda Rainwater Association (URWA) and Water Aid.

Find out more

First Ghana Dams Dialogue on Dams and Development

The first Ghana Dams Forum took place In July 2007. The Forum consists of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, National Operators and Private Sector, Local Level Institutions, Dam Affected Communities and Traditional Structures, Local Non- Governmental Organizations and Media and Research Organizations.

Read the Forum Report

Find out more, email Richard Twumus

CONIWAS host 18th MOLE CONFERENCE, Ghana

The theme of the 2007 MOLE conference, attended by all sector actors Government ministries and agencies, national and local level politicians, organized civil society and citizens from the community, was Bridging the Sanitation Gap to Reach MDGs. All actors worked on and endorsed the final communiqué, with specific organisations identified to follow up on each action point.

Read the conclusions of the conference (pdf)

CODESEN work on the advocacy action plan

Members of Coordination des Organisations de la Société Civile pour la Défense de l’Environnement et le Développement du Bassin du Fleuve Sénégal met in June 2007 to work on principle strategies for the next year. They focused on dams, the knowledge of CODESEN and its national and international partners and to the development of the Senegal river basin.

Read the activity report (French only)(pdf)

Find out more, contact Aboubacry MBODJ