SWAPs in the water sector

Many lessons have been learnt from water sector SWAps which illustrate that the approach has the potential to not only build the water sector but also to put in place mechanisms for lesson sharing, acceleration of the MDGs, accountability and more sustainable service delivery practices. If SWAps can harness this potential they certainly will become the mainstream approach to tackle backlogs and sustainability challenges in the water sector.

What is a SWAp, and what is it not?

The Joint Learning Programme (JLP) on SWAp has stressed that a SWAp – or a programme based approach - is a way of working that country stakeholders and donors can agree to pursue no matter where the sector is in terms of development. It requires mutual will and interest, but it is not a definite “thing”.

The SWAp is a process leading to an increasingly more robust national sector programme. A SWAp is thus first and foremost a vehicle for sector development, with possible support from one or several donors as a secondary feature. In the JLP, the elements of the sector programme have been grouped in five broad headings:

• sector policies in a macro framework
• public financial management issues
• institutional capacity
• accountability and monitoring
• sector and donor coordination

Importantly, a SWAp and a sector programme are not a financing modality for donor support – a sector programme can be a purely domestic affair, or supported by donors through (sector) budget support, pooled funds and/or project modalities. Some modalities are more aligned to national systems than others, but support by any modality can be “on policy”, “on plan”, “on budget” and integrated in joint monitoring efforts and national
sector coordination mechanisms.