The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is inviting expressions of interest from qualified individuals and firms to serve as Conference Coordinator for two major continental events: the 10th Africa Water Week (AWW10) in Senegal and the 8th AfricaSan Conference (AfricaSan8) in Ghana in 2027.
The selected consultant will support the planning, coordination and delivery of both conferences, which will bring together government officials, ministers, development partners, water and sanitation specialists, researchers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders from Africa and around the world.
Interested applicants must submit their expressions of interest by October 23, 2026. The assignment offers an opportunity for experienced conference management professionals to contribute to major continental discussions on water security, sanitation, hygiene and sustainable development.
About the African Ministers’ Council on Water
The African Ministers’ Council on Water is an intergovernmental institution established in 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria. It provides political leadership, policy direction and advocacy on water resources management and sanitation across Africa.
AMCOW works within the African Union’s framework to support sustainable social and economic development and the protection of African ecosystems. Its flagship Africa Water Week and AfricaSan conferences provide platforms for reviewing progress, exchanging knowledge, strengthening partnerships and identifying practical solutions to water and sanitation challenges.
Overview of the Two Conferences
1. 10th Africa Water Week 2027
The 10th Africa Water Week will take place from February 1–5, 2027, in the Republic of Senegal. The conference will be hosted by the Government of Senegal through its Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation.
The event will be held following the endorsement of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, which establishes a long-term continental framework for water security, resilience and safe sanitation.
The conference theme is “Assuring a Water Secure and Resilient Africa with Safe Sanitation for All.”
Discussions will be organised around four key pillars:
- Economy and society.
- Diplomacy, peace and security.
- Sustainability and resilience.
- Innovation, capacity and information.
The conference will focus on launching and validating the First Implementation Plan for 2026–2033, mobilising political commitments, strengthening partnerships and financing, and establishing accountability mechanisms to monitor progress.
2. 8th AfricaSan Conference 2027
AfricaSan8 will take place from November 15–19, 2027, in the Republic of Ghana. The event will be hosted by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
The conference theme is “Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy: Transforming Sanitation and Hygiene in Africa.”
Its subthemes include:
- Water and sanitation governance, regulation and service delivery.
- Climate-resilient sanitation infrastructure and technologies.
- Financing and investment for sustainable sanitation services.
- Circular sanitation economy, resource recovery, reuse and industrialisation.
- Sanitation monitoring, accountability and evidence-based decision-making.
- Gender-inclusive sanitation and hygiene services.
AfricaSan8 will bring stakeholders together to strengthen political and technical support for sanitation improvements, promote investment and collaboration, and advance implementation of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and relevant sanitation commitments.
Both conferences are expected to attract more than 1,000 participants and will be facilitated in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Conference Coordinator
The selected consultant will work closely with the AMCOW Secretariat, the event management consultant and other partners to coordinate preparations and delivery of both conferences.
Key responsibilities include:
- Finalising criteria for selecting papers and abstracts for thematic and technical sessions.
- Supporting conference promotion and visibility activities.
- Coordinating participant registration and venue preparations with event managers.
- Developing detailed conference preparation schedules and programmes.
- Supporting efforts to secure conference sponsors.
- Coordinating with co-convenors, technical leads and session organisers.
- Identifying session chairs, presenters, facilitators and rapporteurs.
- Preparing content for conference websites and collecting participant feedback through online portals.
- Maintaining communication with the organising committee and ensuring effective coordination of technical sessions, including opening and closing plenaries.
- Compiling session reports and preparing the final AWW10 and AfricaSan8 conference reports.
- Working with knowledge management and programme teams to develop policy briefs and other knowledge products.
- Supporting the development and implementation of comprehensive conference communications plans.
The assignment requires strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills, together with the ability to coordinate complex international events.
Expected Deliverables
The successful consultant will be expected to contribute to the successful organisation of both conferences and produce several key outputs.
These include detailed conference programme plans specifying the timing, duration and methodology of plenary, thematic and synthesis sessions; conference communiqués and ministerial or multistakeholder statements; and comprehensive conference reports containing recommendations for organising self-sustaining conferences.
Qualifications and Experience Required
AMCOW is seeking experienced conference management professionals with a proven record of coordinating large-scale, high-level events.
The key evaluation criteria include:
- At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in event management, planning and exhibitions.
- Experience coordinating events involving senior government and non-government participants from diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
- A proven ability to manage events involving multiple time zones and multilingual participants.
- A track record of delivering high-level conferences to international standards, particularly those involving government institutions and sanitation and hygiene stakeholders.
- Knowledge of event coordination and sponsorship environments.
- Experience organising events in water management, sanitation and hygiene, which will be an advantage.
- Experience delivering high-level continental events, which will also be an advantage.
- English and/or French proficiency among key team members, which will be an added advantage.
Interested firms and individuals must provide a profile of their work and details of relevant assignments completed between January 1, 2018, and the application date.
The requested information includes event names, contract values, countries, event duration, client details, staff input, service values, start and completion dates, event website URLs, associated service providers and the roles of senior professionals.
Applicants must also provide narrative descriptions of previous events, including their background, methods, outputs and recommendations, alongside descriptions of the actual event management and promotional services delivered.
Detailed CVs are required for the team leader and key team members, including those responsible for communications and visibility, marketing and sponsorship, and public relations.
Consultancy Fees and Contract Duration
AMCOW states that the consulting fee will be negotiated based on the specific requirements of the services and the coordination role.
The announcement does not specify a fixed consultancy fee or a precise contract duration. Interested applicants should therefore refer to the official terms and seek clarification from AMCOW where necessary.
How to Apply
Interested individuals and firms must submit their expressions of interest in English, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water.
Applications should be submitted by email to:
Applicants may also direct questions concerning the preparation of their expressions of interest to the same email address.
Application deadline: October 23, 2026.
Official website: https://amcow-online.org/
Final Remarks
The AMCOW Conference Coordinator consultancy presents an opportunity for experienced event management professionals to contribute to two major African water and sanitation conferences in 2027.
Given the requirement for at least 10 years of relevant experience and a strong track record of managing high-level international events, the opportunity is particularly suited to established consultants and firms with the capacity to coordinate complex, multilingual and multistakeholder conferences.
Interested applicants should prepare detailed evidence of relevant assignments, provide comprehensive CVs for key team members and submit their expressions of interest before the deadline.
