Early in June 2017, the European Union (EU) summoned professionals of the WASH sector from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) regions for a strategic exchange meeting in Brussels, its headquarters.

The objective of this meeting was to discuss and collect participants’ proposals for improved targeting of the WOP funding strategy in the ACP regions. This approach follows the mixed results obtained after EU funds were granted to students and teachers to conduct research on water and sanitation issues. This time, the EU reconsidered its approach, by collecting the requests and suggestions from organizations like the African Water Association (AfWA), Protox, and Aquafret, which lead high-return programs in the WASH sector in the regions concerned.

At the end of the meeting, the EU assured the water and sanitation stakeholders that funds were available for knowledge and experience sharing as well as for capacity building for the development of the water and sanitation sector in the ACP regions. This amount, more than 40 million Euros, is intended for water and sanitation professionals in the ACP regions.

About thirty organizations, including donors (AFD, KFW) and water utilities (SOMAGEP of Mali and Belgian water utilities) took part in the meeting. Outside the work, the official water advocacy document was launched. A report on the state of water in 2017 was released by the UN Organization for water “UN Water”. AfWA, which attended these two meetings, was represented by its Programs Director Dr. Simeon KENFACK.