About the SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) aims for regional integration and socio-economic development. Quite clearly, these tasks are easier to cope with effective and efficient support from International Cooperating Partners (ICPs). In order to implement the ICP harmonization agenda (that is the “Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness”), the SADC Consultative Conference adopted in 2006 the “Windhoek Declaration on a New SADC-ICP Partnership”. In the SADC Water Sector, coordination takes place mainly through the “Water Strategy Reference Group” (WSRG), which consists of the SADC Secretariat and all ICPs engaged in the SADC water sector. Germany is the so-called lead ICP since mid 2006.
The coordination and communication between currently 22 ICPs in the SADC Region is ensured by the following mechanisms:
- Biannual meetings of the Water Strategy Reference Group,
- Biannual mapping of all ICP activities one month before the WSRG meeting, and
- Ongoing communication and exchange through the “SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal”.
Actual reports, project information, contacts and events for all ICP-supported programmes are stored online on this portal. This portal encourages knowledge-sharing and networking amongst ICPs and can be accessed by ICP, by River Basin or by River Basin Organisation. It is hoped that channeling collective information into a common pool of knowledge and open dialogue will open the doors further to improved collaboration and confluence of activities, information and knowledge in the SADC Region. The information provided here is regularly updated by the ICPs, providing a central repository for knowledge and information for water-related projects across the SADC region.
The key to successful coordination is to achieve confluence of interests. Confluence of interests acknowledges that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, often providing many positive spin-offs and win-win relationships. This will be achieved through facilitation of information management, storage, transfer and sharing, hopefully leading to a significant improvement in the effectiveness of development partner support.
With a total of currently (2010) 22 International Cooperating Partners, 15 River Basins, 14 Member States (Madagascar is currently suspended) and, 12 River Basin Organisations in the region, the need is greater than ever to work together.
For more information about SADC and their Water Division, please view the SADC website.
International Cooperating Partners (ICPs)
Click on an ICP to view information about its activities
Newsletter
Subscribe to the bi-monthly SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal newsletter:
