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Born: 19 November 1954, Kitale, Kenya 
Citizenship: South African 
Status: Married ( to Karen) with two children. - Paula and Patrick
Residence:  United Kingdom (South Africa until January 2000)

School: Hilton College, Natal, South Africa
Matric: Joint Matriculation Board, Distinctions in Maths & Add. Maths, 1972
University: B.Sc. Civil Engineering, Natal University, Durban 1974-1977
MSc Civil Engineering (Water Resources Management), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1988 

Registered as a Professional Engineer with the South African Council for Professional Engineers - Reg. No. 840238
Member of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers

Contact info:

Email - len.abrams@waterpolicy.com
African Water Page - www.thewaterpage.org
Water Policy International - www.waterpolicy.com

Address
    Rustlings
    1 Dome Hill
    Caterham CR3 6EE
    United Kingdom

Phone 
    Office..... +44(0)1883 34-7014
    Fax........ +44(0)1883 34-3671
    Home..... +44(0)1883 34-2464
    Mobile.... +44(0)7941 095 086

Professional career:

• 1978-1980 Site engineer - Durban New Works, South African Railways
• 1981-1982 St Paul's Theological College (Anglican), Grahamstown - non engineering, training for Anglican Priesthood - personal decision to discontinue.
• Oct. 1982-1984 DeLeuw Cather & Associates, Johannesburg - highway and roads design.
• 1985 Hawkins, Hawkins & Osborn, Johannesburg - rural water supply and sanitation.
• 1986-Oct. 1987 Steffen, Robertson & Kirsten, Johannesburg. Groundwater computer modeling research and rural groundwater projects in the Transkei and western Transvaal.
• Oct. 1987-Aug. 1993 Founded and built the Rural Advice Centre - Executive Director. Built the organisation from scratch to a staff of 80 (23 engineering staff) with 6 branches around the country and a National Office. Main activities were rural public health services, building local governance structures and developing community participation processes. The work included rural township projects with Civic Associations as clients.
• Sept. 1993-May 1994 Steffen, Robertson & Kirsten. Principal Engineer responsible for establishment of the company's Development Division. Seconded to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to investigate the establishment of a Community Water Supply and Sanitation function within the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
• May 1994 - Oct 1995 Independent consultant contracted to the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Prof. Kader Asmal, as Special Technical and Political Adviser. Responsible for policy formulation and general technical and political advise. See attached list for details of work during this period. During this period Mr. Abrams also consulted to the European Union.
• Nov. 1995 - to the present Private policy consultant to United Nations (FAO, UNDP and UNICEF), World Bank, Department for International Development of the British Government, South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, European Commission, and other clients.
• October 1999 Established Water Policy International Ltd (UK)

Leadership roles and responsibilities:

• 1976 Student Representative Council, University of Natal, Durban
• 1988-1992 World Alliance of YMCA Task Force Against Apartheid
• 1987-1993 Founder and Executive Director of the Rural Advice Centre
• 1989-1991 National Executive of SA Council of YMCA
• 1990 Director, World Alliance of YMCA Professional Training Institute, Geneva Switzerland, August - September 1990.
• 1990 Founder and a Director of the Rural Finance Facility which addresses credit for rural development.
• 1991- 1993 Convenor of NARDSO - National Association of Rural Development Service Organisations. Chairperson of Steering Committee.
• 1992 National Development Forum (NDF) Rural sector representative at national land negotiations with the South African Government.
• 1992 ANC rural representative in bi-lateral discussions between ANC and the IDT.
• 1992 Founded the South African Rural Development Support Programme as a Section 501 C(3) non profit organisation in the United States. This is a wholly US organisation to which I act as an advisor.
• 1992 - 1994 Vice Chairperson of the national Standing Committee on Water Supply & Sanitation.
• June 1992 Convenor and Chairperson of the Water Supply Task Force of the National Consultative Forum on Drought.
• Aug.-Dec. 1992 Manager of the National Consultative Forum on Drought on secondment from the Rural Advice Centre.
• Jan. 1993 Concept design and founder director of SADRA - Southern African Disaster Relief Agency as a non profit relief organisation.
• June-Aug. 1993 External Expert for the review of the Civil Engineering Department, University of the Witwatersrand.
• June 1993 One of 4 SA representatives to World Bank Southern African Consultation on National Water Resources, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
• Nov. 93 - July 95 Trustee on Environmental and Development (EDA) Trust
• March 1995 Resource person, UNICEF Strategic Planning Consultation, the Hague.
• October 95 Delegate sponsored by UNICEF to 3rd Global Forum of the Water and Sanitation Collaborative Council meetings, Barbados
• Nov. 95 - Jan. 96 Member of the National Water Law Review Panel. Contributor to and Editor of Fundamental Principles and Objectives for a New Water Law in South Africa - the Report of the Panel.
• December 95 - The Role and Future of NGOs in the Water Sector in South Africa - Report commissioned by the European Union.
• Member of the Africa Working Group of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council November 1995 to present
• President, SA National Council of YMCAs, 1996 to 1999
• Member of Special Cabinet Task Team to draft national Drought Management Policy established by the Minister of Agriculture, South Africa - November 1996 to January 1998.
• Member of a 10 person team of International Experts assembled by the United Nations to advise the People's Republic of China on Water Sector Reforms - Nanjing, China - April 1997
• Member of a four person Evaluation Team of the Global Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council - November 1997 – July 1998.
• Team leader of an FAO sponsored Ministerial Study Tour on International River Management of ministers from the Nile basin - May 1998
• Founder and author of the "African Water Page" on the Internet in 1995 which was converted into The Water Page in February 2001
• October 1999 Founder of Water Policy International Ltd
• Attended Trans-boundary Rivers Round Table - Berlin as invited contributor July 2000 
• Member of Advocacy Advisory Panel of WaterAid, UK, from August 2000

I have been an invited speaker at numerous conferences on the issues of water policy development, water supply in development, the role of NGOs and community participation, in South Africa, the United States, Thailand and Switzerland at the request of the United Nations and various foundations.

Summary of projects undertaken and reports written
as an independent Consultant
November 1995 - present

• Advice to Minister of Water Affairs & Forestry, South Africa - December 1995 to July 1997
• Consultant to the Water Law Review Panel July 1995 - Dec 1995, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Presentation on Water Policy at International Environmental Conference, Cape Town Dec 1995, World Bank
• Consultant to Water Law Steering Committee Jan 1996 - April 1996, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Nation wide assessment of the role of Local Government in water supply Jan 1996 - April 1996, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Consultant to the National Water Conservation Campaign 1995 - 1998, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Manage national water law review public participation project and present the water law principles at 9 provincial public hearings. April 1996 - October 1996, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Consult to DWAF on local government support for water supply May 1996 - 1999, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• Manage a national audit of capacity building and training in the water supply and sanitation sector. May 1996 - July 1997, DWAF , SA
• Presentation on Water Policy at International Environmental Conference, Harare Dec 1996, World Bank
• Contract to undertake Africa Sector Review for the Africa Working Group July 1996 - October 1996, United Nations Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council
• Assistance to country level water policy development, institutional and legislative reform and capacity building in countries of the Nile Basin. January 1997 - December 1998. FAO, United Nations
• Prepare position paper on Water Scarcity in the SADC region - Early 1997, Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations
• Referee an electronic debate on water resource management - early 1997, Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations
• International Expert advising the People's Republic of China on water sector reforms- Visit to Nanjing, China as part of a 10 person advisory team. April 1997, Government of China & UNDP, United Nations Development Programme
• Draft Parliamentary White Paper for DWAF Water Supply and Sanitation Investment Programme - April 1997, SA Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
• Serve on the "Policy and Strategy Team" - The "PST" is a small team assembled by the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa, to guide the Water Law Review process in South Africa January to December 1998- Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
• International Expert Review Team - October 1997 to mid 1998. Appointed one of a team of four international experts to review the work of the Global Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.
• Advisor to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water October - November 1997. Advisor on the final format of national Water Services Bill - Client - ANC and British DfID.
• International Advisory Group - Nile Basin Development Planning - November 1997. Review investment planning in the Nile Basin. World Bank, Washington DC.
• Write National Water Services 1998/99 Business Plan - October to November 1997. Write and consult on the multi-billion Rand Business Plan - DWAF, South Africa
• Advisor to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water January - June 1998. Advisor on the final format of National Water Bill.
• Water resources management expert, May 1997 to March 1999. Consulting to the FAO in the Nile Basin. Development of national water policies with the governments of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Programme active also in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda. Responsible for arranging and running regional water resources management capacity building workshops. Team leader of an FAO sponsored Ministerial Study Tour on International River Management of ministers from the Nile basin - May 1998. Project included providing direct support in the formulation of National Water Policies to the governments of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Core consultant to British Government. November 1997 to April 1999. Design and undertake institutional appraisal of SA Department of Water Affairs. Strategic project monitoring and evaluation for British aid to SA government in the water sector.
• National Sustainability Management Guidelines November 1998 to July 1998. Draft the national management and policy guideline document for DWAF for water services provision.
• Nile basin water resources development planning - January 1998 to June 1999. Consultant to the World Bank on the preparation of investment pre-feasibility planning in the Nile Basin. Attended meetings in Washington D.C. (as part of a World Bank selected International Advisory Group), Cairo, Dar es Salaam, and Arusha (as Facilitator of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which advises the Council of Ministers of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin).
• Near East water policy synopsis. May 1998 to September 1998. Prepare a synthesis of reports and findings of 15 countries together with an analysis of water management options and the provision of recommendations for the FAO.
• Guideline to the SA Water Services Act. September 1998. Write a common English Guideline to assist local government on contract to DWAF through British DFID funding.
• Sudanese National Water Policy Formulation October 1998 to Feb 2000. Principle International Water Policy Expert for an FAO/UNDP supported project working with a counterpart national team of experts and the Sudanese Government.
• Co-operative Framework Development for the Nile Basin November 1998 to January 1999 - Facilitator of workshops of Panel of Experts of the Nile Basin countries and the International River Basin Study Tour to the Mekong River under contract to UNDP / UNOPS.
• SA Water sector reform archiving project. October 1998 to December 1999. Establish a team to collect, collate and analyse parliamentary and ministerial materials related to water sector reform in South Africa from 1994 to early 1999.
• Strategic framework for support to local government. November 1998 to June 1999. Draw up the framework for the function of the national government in supporting local government in the provision of water services in South Africa in consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Guideline to the SA National Water Act. November 1998 to June 1999. Write a common English Guideline to the National Water Act on contract to DWAF through British DFID funding.
• Vision 21 Drafting Team. January  - June 1999. One of a team of three on an international drafting team to draw up a vision for the water supply and sanitation sector for the 21^st Century, under the auspices of the Collaborative Council on Water Supply and Sanitation and as part of an international water sector undertaking for the new millennium.  
• British Government Department for International Development (DFID) Research on Water Resources Degradation. January to August 1999. Consultant to Cranfield University on DFID research project into water resources degradation in Africa.
• Team Leader - Technical Support for the establishment of a National Water Authority and the Department of Water Affairs, Kingdom of Swaziland March 1999 to present Lead a multi-faceted team to plan human resources, establish co-ordination mechanisms, set up decision support systems through the development of a water resources management model, review the issue of water pricing and establish water resources management policy guidelines, working closely with the government of Swaziland.
• Facilitator - National Best Practice Conference - March 1999 to July 1999. Facilitated the National Water supply and sanitation sector best practice conference, East London, South Africa. Commissioned by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to review sector policy and propose changes to national policy, arising from the conference.
• SADC Water Sector Multidisciplinary Team of Experts May 1999 Part of the team as a World Bank consultant to formulate and develop the Project Concept Notes (PCNs) for the thirty-one interventions appearing in the Regional Strategic Action Plan of the SADC Water Sector.
• Support to African Water Policy Workshop - May 1999 - Provide support to the workshop held in Nairobi as a consultant to the World Bank. Present a paper on the use of the Internet in the water sector in Africa.
• Namibian Water Sector Reform - June 1999 Run national water policy workshop under contract to the FAO.
• Resource person and presenter to SADC water sector training course for senior personnel June - July 1999 "Managing Transboundary Water Resources: A short course" SADC Water Sector Co-ordinating Unit Sponsored by USAID
• Strategic and Political support to new Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa - October to December 1999.  General advice to the new Minister after the 2nd democratic elections in South Africa and well as advice to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
• Namibian Water Sector Reform - April 2000 Edit national water policy document under contract to the World Bank.
• EU Support to water sector in South Africa - May - June 2000 Member of Evaluation Team to evaluate European Union support for the water sector in South Africa. Draft Program Proposal for Dept Water Affairs for next 3 years and European Commission Financing Proposal for Budgetary support to SA Government.
• Trans-boundary Rivers Round Table - Berlin July 2000 Attended as invited contributor.
• Sida's Southern African Water Resources Management Support Program October 2000 Evaluation of the programme undertaken by Sida in Southern Africa with proposals for second phase.
• Review of flood relief assistance programmes in Mozambique October, November 2000 Compilation of database of all role players engaged in flood relief and reconstruction, on contract to the World Bank.
• Authoring Contract, Basic Water and Sanitation Chapter of the Global Water Development Report - May - July 2001 Contracted by the World Health Organisation to draft the Basic Water and Sanitation Chapter of the United Nations Global Water Development Report to be published in 2003.
• Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat support  - June 1999 - ongoing. Long term consultant to the World Bank with responsibilities to support the Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat based in Entebbe, Uganda. Assist in the establishment of the programme, provide logistic and strategic support to the Executive Director. Participate as a member of the World Bank Nile Team in a variety of Nile Basin activities involving extensive travel in the region.
• Nile Basin Initiative Project Document Preparation January 2000 - ongoing Development of Project Documents for several projects for presentation to the international funding community. Contracted to the World Bank.
• African Water Resources Management Forum June 2000 - ongoing Support and principal advisor to the establishment of the AWRMF
• Nigerian National Water Resources Management Strategic Plan July 2000 - ongoing Provide strategic support to the development of a multi-facetted national water sector reform program in Nigeria on contract to the World Bank.
• Establishment of Nile Basin International Discourse November 2000 - ongoing - Lead Advisor to the World Bank Nile Team responsible for the establishment of an International Discourse on development in the Nile Basin to include NGOs, Civil Society, academics and other parties. Arranged and facilitated a preliminary Discourse Workshop in Gland, Switzerland from 10 -12 January 2001, and further workshops in Entebbe (2001) and Cairo (2002).
• Strategic Advisor to Sida on providing support to development in the Okavango River Basin - October - December 2001 Contracted to provide strategic advice to Swedish Sida on the most appropriate role for them to play in supporting integrated and sustainable management of the Okavango River Basin as an important international river basin.
• Senior Advisor to the Government of Kenya on National Water Policy – November 2001 – ongoing Support to the Government of Kenya to introduce, design and execute a National Water Campaign aimed to developing a national water policy and a variety of sector reforms, on contract to the World Bank.

Summary of publications, reports and articles:
(many of these documents are available through the African Water Page site on the Internet.)

• Appropriate low cost sand filtration technology for rural households, Masters Degree Thesis, 1988
• Numerous papers on rural development and the role of NGOs, 1988 to 1993
• White Paper on Water Supply and Sanitation Policy, DWAF, 1994
• "You and your water rights" document on the existing Water Act and its need for revision, DWAF, 1995
• Presentation on Water Policy at International Environmental Conference, Cape Town, World Bank, 1995
• Fundamental Principles and Objectives for a new water law in South Africa, DWAF, 1996
• Government Water Law Principles Discussion Document, DWAF, 1996
• Report on Local Government Support in the water sector, DWAF, 1996
• Report on Water Law Review public participation. DWAF, 1996
• Various Government Policy Statements on Institutional interaction between DWAF and Local Government. DWAF, 1996
• Policy Development in the Water Sector - the South African Experience, Cranfield International Policy Conference, 1996
• Concept paper on Programmatic approach to capacity building and training. DWAF, 1996
• Africa Sector Review report, United Nations Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, 1996
• Capacity Building for water supply and sanitation development at local level The Threshold Concept - A paper delivered at the 2nd UNDP Symposium on Water Sector Capacity Building Delft, Netherlands, 4 - 6 December 1996
• Parliamentary White Paper for DWAF Water Supply and Sanitation Investment Programme - April 1997
• Report on Nile Basin International Water Policy Workshop, Cape Town- FAO, July 1997
• National Sustainability Management Guidelines for rural water supply for DWAF - December 1997
• Report on Nile Basin Ministerial Study Tour to Southern Africa – FAO, July 1998
• Near East Water Policy Synopsis - FAO, September 1998
• Plain language guidelines to the Water Services Act for local government, DWAF South Africa, - September 1998
• Plain language guidelines to the National Water Act, DWAF South Africa, May 1999
• The use of the Internet in the Water Sector in Africa, African Water Policy Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, June 1999.
• "Poverty and water supply and sanitation services", Regional Workshop on Financing Community Water Supply and Sanitation White River, South Africa, November 1999
• "Governance support", Invited Speaker, International SymposiumWater-Education-Training (WET), IHE-Delft, The Netherlands, 28-30 November 2001
• "The politics of Water", Invited Speaker, Stockholm Water Week, August 2002
  

Summary of activities and achievements as Special Advisor to the
Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Prof Kader Asmal:
May 1994 to October 1995

• Engagement in the day-to-day work of the Ministry, including the parliamentary functions of the Ministry and engagement in the policy making processes of the Department and the broader government. (infrastructure, RDP, ANC etc.),
• Engagement in the transformation and restructuring process of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry .
• Author and Producer of the White Paper on Water Supply and Sanitation Policy,
• Author and Producer of the "You and your water rights" document on the existing Water Act and its need for revision,
• Assisted in the production of the Forestry Policy Green Paper,
• Organised and ran the National Water Sector Training Workshop, Pretoria, August 1994,
• Initiated the establishment of the National Sanitation Task Team, which is a multi-departmental team established to create and implement a national sanitation policy.
• Author of the conceptual documentation for the National Conservation Campaign and Chair of the Campaign Steering Committee,
• Initiated the feasibility study into the establishment of a National Water Sector Training Board,
• Initiated the study into the Human Resource crisis in the engineering industry in the water sector,
• Guided the drafting of the Regulations for the establishment of Statutory Local Water Committees.
• Author of the Guidelines to the Statutory Local Water Committees regulations - a plain English document for use by communities.
• Designed and established the Ministerial Internet Page.
• Member of the committee investigating the legislative framework for the engagement of the private sector in local government water provision,
• Member of the Departmental Transition Management Committee,
• Member of the Water Law Review Panel charged with the responsibility to draft the principles on which a new National Water Act is to be based,
• Chair of the South African Water Research Review Steering Committee,
• Chair of the drafting committee of the Forestry White Paper.
• Chair of the establishing task team of the National Community Water Supply Training Institute.
• Author of numerous Ministerial speeches and other documents.

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len.abrams@waterpolicy.com