Africa

WOP-Africa is the regional hub for WOPs in sub-Saharan Africa. A program of the African Water Association (AfWA), the regional WOP platform was established in Johannesburg in 2007 by representatives of over 50 African Water Utilities with support from UN-Habitat, the Water and Sanitation Programme of the World Bank, and the International Water Association.

WOPs IN AFRICA

Although twinning and partnerships had long been practiced in Africa, the Hashimoto Action Plan created the momentum and political will to build an African platform to significantly scale up WOPs on the continent. GWOPA supported the first year of the platform by funding the position of the Programme Manager, supporting initial twinning activities and helping the African Water Association (AfWA) secure funds for its WOPs programs. The WOP-Africa Secretariat is currently comprised of 3 staff members, led by Dr. Simeon Kenfack. The Secretariat is based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, at the AfWA’s headquarters and is responsible for core functions:

· Overall planning, coordination and monitoring

· Fundraising and financial planning

· Liaisons with GWOPA

· Communication and dissemination

· Demand-based TA and support to help groups of partners to prepare sub-programs/project

The WOP-Africa Program Steering Committee gathers all key stakeholders. Its role is to provide strategic guidance, foster coordination and facilitate relationships with funding partners.