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The EU Water Initiative and the EU ACP Facility New Instruments to promote sustainable development of water resources and affordable access Antonio Garcia-Fragio Head of Division Directorate General for Development European Commission The EU Water Initiative • Were launched at World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) 2002 as joint initiatives between EU Member States and the Commission • Aim to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and WSSD targets for water and sanitation and for improving energy access for the poor • Have made progress since WSSD, in the dialogue with developing countries, in mobilizing resources and in preparing specific actions. The initiative is… • Implemented in dialogue with and through ownership by participating developing countries • Working within existing EC and Member States mechanisms for development cooperation • Involving a wide spectrum of stakeholders donors, financing organisations, private sector, civil society etc. The Water Initiative is… • Structured in regional components • Has a focus on Africa, but also cover Island States • The African component is developed in dialogue with AMCOW • Thematic groups are lead by EC or MS ACP-EU Water Facility As a contribution to the Water Initiative, the Commission has created a 250 (+250) M Euro ACP-EU Water Facility with two specific objectives • Improved governance in water and sanitation and improved and integrated management of water resources at regional and transboundary, national and local levels, and • Increased access to safe, affordable and sustainable water and sanitation services for the rural and urban poor. Key Principles of the Facility • Ownership: Facility is fully demand driven. Priorities derived from EUWI and from AFRICAN-EU partnership • Innovation: Adding value to other work to catalyse action. Creating leverage, being a clearing house, a capacity builder • Transparency: Access to funding on an equal, open basis. Same rules for all • Sustainability: Social, economic and environmental viability • Integration within overall water management framework Types of activities supported Initiatives which at regional, country or local levels: • Improve national policies and strategies for the water sector, supporting Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper processes wherever these exist; • Improve the institutional and legal framework; • Build capacity of key stakeholders; • Enhance integrated water resource management • Enhance management of transboundary basins. Co-financing of investment projects/programmes • Focused on the improvement of the livelihoods of the rural and urban poor • Levering increased and better targeted expenditure for water and sanitation services Eligibility of Applicants For Grant contracts/contribution agreements: • national, local and regional, public bodies with legal identity separate from States • non-state actors (as in Cotonou Agreement Art. 6) • International organisations • ACP State or a Ministry or other State central administrative bodies. Applicants are encouraged to associate with codonors and other partners Call for Proposals Calls will have three components… • • • Co-financing of Water Management and Governance Co-financing Investments in Water and Sanitation Co-financing of Civil Society Initiatives ...and a two phase selection procedure 1. Pre-selection phase criteria: • • Relevance Financial and operational capacity 2. Awards phase criteria: • • • Sustainability Methodology Economic and financial feasibility Specific actions outside call for proposals Nile Basin Initiative, to support the Shared Vision Programme The African Water Facility (AWF) to support initiatives from African civil society Post conflict and post disaster rehabilitation interventions TA Activities Managed by Commission to re-address potential geographical imbalances, to facilitate proposals by ACP States or Regional Bodies for improving water governance Opportunities for support identified through the work of the EU Water Initiative Monitoring, audit and evaluation EUWI Secretariat DG Development European Commission Brussels Web: www.euwi.net