Key Mission Findings

by

Guido Santini, FAO/UN-Water,

Maputo, 26 – 30 January 2009

Organizations metUN agencies:

UNICEF, FAO, WHO, UN-Habitat, WB, UNDP

Government:DNA (DAR, DES, GPC, DGRH), SINAS, CRA, MINAG

(DNSA, DEH)

Donors:WSP, Royal Netherlands Embassy, DfID, SDC,

MCC, CIDA, Italian Cooperation, Austrian Cooperation, SIDA, JICA, EU

NGOs: IRD, Samaritan’s Purse, Oxfam, World Vision

Overview of coordination mechanismsin the water sector

There are several coordination mechanisms in place in the water sector that gather UN agencies, Donors, NGOs under Government leadership

Several mechanisms in the WSS sub-sector are in place (GAS, SWAP, etc.) and seem to work well in coordination with Donors and NGOs.

The GAS and the Emergency cluster are perceived to be effective among the different development partners and the Government

There is a joint UN programme focusing on Climate Change, with a water resource management component (under FAO lead).

There are several joint strategies/plans with water components: PARPA, NAPA, UNDAF, WB water res. Strat., etc.

Key challenges in coordination

There is a general agreement that the UN action in the entire water sector is rather fragmented

It is general opinion that there is room for strengthening the coordination in the Water Management sub-sector. Particular emphasis has been given to the Transboundary river basin issues where the UN has comparative advantage.

Water sub-sectors (WSS, AWM, IWRM, etc) seems to be considered as separate spheres. Actors involved in the different areas do not have interagency mechanisms to share information and knowledge to coordinate their action.

Most of the actors recognized the need for strengthening the coordination and showed their willingness to contribute to a general harmonization in the sector

UN partners highlighted:

the need for improving coordination of the UNCT for fund raising in the water sector.

the need of support to develop a joint programme focusing on WM and WSS

the need to have a formal mechanism to exchange information

Strengthening the coordination…...different views...(1)

Strengthening the coordination…...different views...(2)

Donors raised the fact that: There should be an effort for simplification in

responsibilities among UN partners in the sub-sectors (WSS, AWM, River basin management, emergencies, etc).

Specific UN agencies should take a leading role in a sub-sector.

Government emphasized: The need to enhance coordination of water-related

indicators development and monitoring process. The need of support to strengthen the coordination

among partners al sub-national level (Provinces)

NGOs highlighted that there should be the room for a larger participation of the NGOs group in coordination mechanisms

Key challenges for UN-Water

Most of the country actors don’t know what UN-Water is and what it does In general, actors have not a clear idea on how this initiative

could support the UNCT

Some country actors have a negative preconception on the utility of the mechanism Some perceive the initiative as a “top-down” mechanism

which would not target the real needs of the country Some perceive it as mechanism that will bring extra-work

with no clear benefits Some showed a general mistrust on the capacity of the UN,

as system, to get organized and deliver a coordinated action

Is UN-Water initiative really in line with country needs?

What is the current added value?

...Country actors’ views for a potential role of UN-Water at

country level The establishment of a UN-Water team (through

UNDG) at country level could play a strategic role:

To facilitate dialogue and exchange of knowledge among partners in the sector and with UN-Water at global level

To strongly promote at country level the UN-Water benefits in the different spheres

To advocate for raising the awareness on water-related issues at country level

To provide the UNCT with targeted technical assistance

Possible in-country future steps

UNCT would be willing to establish through UNDG:

an in-country technical working group encompassing all the water sector, providing technical advice as required (participants from all UN agencies dealing with water), link with UN-Water Secretariat and the other TFs.

an in-country formal mechanism through to share knowledge and information on water-related issues among the UN agencies (e.g. ODAMoz, etc), link with UN-Water Secretariat and the other TFs

Possible follow up of this mission

It is general opinion that a in-depth mapping of the water sector as whole in the country would benefit all the actors (WSS, WM)who is doing what and wherefocus on the role of UNbuild on the ongoing initiatives

Next steps for the Country Level TF

(as requested by the UNCT)

Provide financial support for local consultants to carry out and in-depth mapping of the Water sector

Possibly provide technical backstopping for this mapping process (through emails, info sharing, etc.)

Possibly organize other in-country missions to help to follow up with the recommendations (not necessarily paid by UN-Water)

ConclusionsDespite a general skepticism, the UNCT and

other partners really appreciated this exercise

They perceived the benefits of this exercise and appreciated the possibility to brainstorm on water-related issues in a different way

They showed a clear commitment to engage themselves to strengthen the coordination in the sector

UN-Water must make a stronger effort to promote the initiative and its outputs at country level