Supporting Water Management Policies in Developing Countries through African Centres of Excellence

1. African Centres of Excellence in WATER Science and Technology services for Supporting Water Management Policies in Developing Countries EC Support to the African Centres of Excellence in Water WATER – ACE Project DG Joint Research Centre Institute for Environment and Sustainability Dr. Cesar CARMONA-MORENO • Current African Centres: • Western Africa: • - UCAD Sénégal • 2IE Burkina Faso • Southern Africa: • - Univ. Western Cape South Africa • - Stellenbosh University South Africa • - Univ KwaZulu Natal South Africa, • CSIR • Universities from Malawi and Botswana Contact person : cesar.carmona-moreno@jrc.it

2. WATER – ACE Project Science and Technology services for Supporting Water Management Policies in Developing Countries The mission of the JRC is : • to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. • As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. • Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of special interests, whether private or national Contact person : cesar.carmona-moreno@jrc.it

3. WATER – ACE Project Science and Technology services for Supporting Water Management Policies in Developing Countries Water ACE : The framework • Support to African Centres of Excellence in Water • Fostering integrated resources management and intergovernmental / inter-institutional cooperation in the Water Sector in Africa • Framework will be based around 3 Big Axes : • 1) Supporting the development of regional networks • Capacity building + Training + Research Activities in the frame of an open network • The network should address and actively participate in governance issues: • => Ex. SWAP • 2) Guidelines, Data and Policy Dissemination • Information dissemination at Regional BUT also at Continental level • EU Guidelines for Water Management = A base for the AU Guidelines • TIGER = Support through Call for Proposals – Capacity Building, Data, Software • 3) Building a Regional Water Knowledge Management • To Build and Valorise Water Knowledge • AQUAKNOW Platform = Web-based information system for Virtual Communication, Knowledge Management and Training on-line

4. WATER – ACE Project Science and Technology services for Supporting Water Management Policies in Developing Countries Water ACE : The framework • Support to African Centres of Excellence in Water • Fostering integrated resources management and intergovernmental / inter-institutional cooperation in the Water Sector in Africa • How? • This is not a shopping list • Establishing a Medium – Long Term Strategy for the Centres of Excellence in Water • Identifying JOINT “Strong Points” and “Weaknesses” • Establishing JOINT priorities for JOINT activities • Proposing a Stable BUT Open Structure = New members-institutions can be identified • Workshop JRC – SA Water ACE component that could be organized by 2iE in Mid-2009 for establishing the big lines of a Joint proposal.