AKUAL: Advancing water and sanitation through decentralised cooperation
(1/6) Discover today how Euskadi is presenting its inter-institutional cooperation program in water and sanitation with municipalities and districts from El Salvador. This is one of the 6 shortlisted projects for the final phase of the PLATFORMAwards, our prize to reward the best practices in decentralised development cooperation. The jury will announce the names of the 3 finalists on 1st April in Seville (Spain). Register to the World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED) to attend the award ceremony.
(Projects are sorted by alphabetical order)
The main objective of the AKUAL Program is to contribute to promote the human right to water, sanitation and hygiene with gender equity for the fulfilment of SDG 6:
- implementing investments in sanitation infrastructure that ensure sustainable coverage of water and sanitation services in communities in El Salvador;
- strengthening the management and sustainability capacities of water and sanitation services in the Central American and Dominican Republic Forum on Drinking Water and Sanitation (FOCARD-APS) member countries; and, the fulfilment of SDG 17 [Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development];
- promoting knowledge management and specialised technical cooperation between Central America and Euskadi that contributes to greater effectiveness in the provision of water and sanitation services and the increase of sustainable services.
A pioneering initiative
AKUAL is a cooperation initiative that brings together innovative elements such as:
- inter-institutional coordination between cooperation and water agents in the Basque Country;
- triangular technical cooperation and knowledge mobility between the Basque Country-El Salvador-Costa Rica-Central America;
- South-South cooperation between El Salvador and Costa Rica.
Since 2018 and throughout its phases I and II, AKUAL has fostered coordination between institutions and diverse agents to explore other ways of doing development cooperation from co-responsibility approach. A cooperation that is committed to the exchange of knowledge in a horizontal manner, and that seeks learning and mutual benefit. All this to contribute to the sustainable development of all people and the planet.
Achievements
The first edition of AKUAL (2018-2021) had two components:
- The National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers of El Salvador (ANDA) was responsible for the construction of infrastructure to guarantee the human right to water for 100% of the households in the Salvadoran municipalities of Anamorós and Yucuaiquín. Both systems comply with NSO 13.07.01:08, which regulates water quality.
- ANDA’s and the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA)’s technical, operational and administrative-financial management capacities were strengthened through the participation of 187 representatives of public, social and private entities with responsibilities and/or active in water management and the provision of water and sanitation services in El Salvador, Costa Rica and countries of the Latin American region, in training and exchange activities of the program, strengthening knowledge on issues of planning and sustainable management of water resources and water and sanitation services through the exchange of experiences with the management and technical staff of water entities in the Basque Country. In addition, 137 ANDA technicians and 185 AyA technicians increased their knowledge and strengthened their «technical criteria» for the management of their services. As a result of these knowledge management processes, ANDA and AyA officials and technicians generated and presented more than 6 proposals for improvement and best practices in water planning and management of water and sanitation services in their companies.
Second edition of AKUAL (2021-2024)
Following the systematisation of the experience and positive assessment of the first edition, AKUAL developed a second edition between 2021-2024 in which the following objectives were met:
- Infrastructure construction in the Salvadoran municipality of Jocoro.
- Capacity building at the technical, operational and administrative-financial management levels of ANDA and AyA, contributing to greater effectiveness in the provision of water and sanitation services and increasing sustainable services for the population of El Salvador and Costa Rica; as well as providing technical assistance in support of the strategic agenda of FOCARD-APS of the Central American Integration System (SICA), made up of the governing institutions of the drinking water and sanitation sector in the region, contributing with regional instruments for the sector.
Expected results for AKUAL III (2024-2027)
- Construction of infrastructure in the municipality of San Miguel Oeste (in the District of San Jorge), department of San Miguel, the municipality of Usulután Oeste (in the District of Ciudad El Triunfo), department of Usulután and the municipality of La Unión Sur (in the District of San Alejo), department of La Unión in El Salvador.
- Continue technical cooperation and institutional strengthening processes with ANDA, AYA and Central American and Dominican Republic Drinking Water and Sanitation Forum (FOCARD-APS).
- Strengthening and mainstreaming the gender perspective both internally in the water operators and in the services they provide.
- Formulation of the communication component and hiring of a communication specialist for its implementation.
A variety of players
AKUAL is a Central America – Euskadi inter-institutional multilevel cooperation program (local, provincial and regional) in the field of water and sanitation, in which the following agents participate:
- Basque cooperation entities: eLankidetza – Basque Agency for Cooperation and Solidarity, Provincial Council of Alava, Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz, City Council of Bilbao and Association of Cooperating Basque Local Entities – Euskal Fondoa.
- Basque water entities: Basque Water Agency – URA, Municipal Waters of Vitoria S.A. (AMVISA), Bilbao Bizkaia Water Consortium (CABB), Gipuzkoa Waters-Gipuzkoa Water Consortium (the latter only participated in the first years of the program).
- Central American water entities: National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers of El Salvador (ANDA), Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) and Central American and Dominican Republic Forum on Drinking Water and Sanitation (FOCARD-APS).
- In process of inclusion: Government of Navarra (cooperation directorate) and Navarra of Local Infrastructures S.A. (NILSA).
- In addition, the municipalities of El Salvador, where AKUAL’s infrastructure component is being developed, have also joined the program.
More information on the project:
