Developing a water anti-corruption strategy in Mozambique

The IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre are supporting Cowater Consultores Lda. to develop an appropriate anti-corruption strategy and plan with the Direcção Nacional de Águas (DNA) in Mozambique. Activities are expected to start in June 2011.

Worldwide the water sector has been shown to be at significant risk of corruption (and was the subject of Transparency International’s 2008 Global Corruption Report), threatening to divert resources that should contribute to providing services to all and achieving the Millennium Development Goals to increase access to water and sanitation by poor people. The Direcção Nacional de Águas (DNA) are interested in developing an anti-corruption strategy focusing on promoting a positive agenda of strengthening transparency, accountability and integrity in the sector in order to help set an example on preventing misuse of funds and bad decision-making in the sector.

Taking into account Mozambique’s low ranking in both TI´s Corruption Perception Index and WBI´s Control of Corruption Index, the (transitional) complexities of Mozambique’s water sector, generally low levels of public accountability, limited capacities of relatively young institutions, major planned sectoral investments by government and donors, and specific corruption risk areas identified, a scoping study in 2009 concluded that Mozambique’s water sector has a high propensity for corruption. The initiative to develop an anti-corruption strategy and plan aiming to develop and scale up the implementation of best practices in transparency, accountability and integrity was received positively by stakeholders at that time. Given the need to be seen to meet the highest standards in order to maintain confidence in institutions and financing arrangements an anti-corruption strategy is timely. Continuing decentralization to provinces and districts, andon-going sector reform such as the common fund in rural water, are especially relevant.

The recommended strategy focused on DNA's activities with engagement of other organisations and agencies with which the department interfaces such as other central government ministries, provincial government, autonomous water sector development, regulatory agencies and operators, donors and multilateral institutions, private sector, non-governmental and civil society organisations. A multi-stakeholder reference group will be established and training courses, workshops and surveys will involve key stakeholders from the different levels and organisations.

IRC will provide support to a national team of experts providing staff with experience in anti-corruption activities in the water sector and process facilitation skills, as well as promoting learning from lessons in other sectors in Mozambique and internationally in water sector anti-corruption.

More information on IRC's work on developing an anti-corruption strategy and plan in Mozambique is available on http://www.irc.nl/page/75852