The 6th African Water Week was held from July 18th to 22nd 2016, in Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania), under the topic: “Towards achieving the SDGs for safety regarding water and sanitation”. This event was followed by the General Assembly of the AMCOW, the African Ministers Council for Water. Amadou Mansour Faye, Minister for Hydraulics and Sanitation, who chaired AMCOW over the last two years before passing the baton to his Tanzanian colleague Gerson Lwenge, host Minister in charge of Water and Irrigation, was saluted by his peers for the remarkable work carried out during his term in office.

During the opening ceremony, chaired by the Tanzanian Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, in the presence of His Excellence Mwai Kibaki, former President of Kenya, and special correspondent of UNESCO for water in Africa, Amadou Mansour Faye justified the choice of the topic by the importance of SDGs 6 regarding water and sanitation and the need for defining a planning and concrete measures driving at positive impacts on our populations. He pointed out that water is in the heart of sustainable development, owing to its intrinsic link to the resolution of a certain number of world challenges, such as the reduction of poverty, the improvement of living conditions, food and energy safety as well as the wellbeing of the populations. “This is one of the reasons why SDGs 6 relating to water and sanitation safety and the other closely related SDGs relating to water do cover broader aspects which were not sufficiently dealt with during the MDGs cycle”, he added.

During his term in office, the Minister for Hydraulics and Sanitation showed an unquestionable leadership so that AMCOW draws its inspiration from the lessons learned from the MDGs experience to better commit itself in achieving the SDGs. Besides, this is why it is necessary to be pleased with the act put by the Heads of State during the latest Summit of the African Union held in Kigali. Indeed, they ratified the Ngor declaration (African Water Week in 2014) regarding water and sanitation safety to mobilize the States, in order to carry out the African vision for water by 2025, SDGs 6 in 2030 and the African Union’s agenda 2063. As Chairman of the AMCOW, Amadou Mansour Faye kept pleading over the last two years in Africa and during major international meetings dedicated to water for the implementation of suitable policies and innovating actions, the reduction of poverty, the improvement of health, social development and the economic growth of Africa.

The African water and sanitation sector expressed him its gratitude through the voice of AMCOW Ministers and partners. Besides, during the technical sessions organized during the African Water Week, Senegal was in the limelight through the presentation of its case on financing and co-operation in the water sector. This was an opportunity to share the initiatives and experiences of the country with a prospect to reach a universal access. Water is, indeed, in the heart of the emerging Senegal Plan. This new vision led the Ministry for Hydraulics and Sanitation to initiate a new sector related policy which puts the emphasis on universal access through the building of infrastructures and the development of public service, the reduction of inequalities, the improvement of water quality through transfers, etc.

In order to achieve these goals, an integrated approach in the management of water resources with the implication of the various stakeholders was adopted. Pepam and Omvs which are conclusive experiences were highlighted during this session chaired by the Minister for Hydraulics and Sanitation, a session that gathered a great number of participants from various horizons. Once again, Senegal has shown during the continental rendezvous held in Dar Es Salam (at the International Conference Center Julius Nyéréré), that it was at the forefront of the innovative initiatives in the field of water.

And this is why the African countries were committed supporting its candidature to host, in 2021, the 9th World Water Forum during which the emphasis will be put on co-operation. Special correspondence by Cheikh Tidiane FALL