By Nils Boesen,Jean de la Harpe, Erma Uyteswaal June 2008

This paper has been developed as a contribution to the Joint Learning Programme (JLP) on Sector Wide Approaches. The JLP offers sector-specific in-country learning events for development agency partners and domestic stakeholders and is financed by Denmark, EU, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.

The note has been written by Nils Boesen, Jean de la Harpe and Erma Uytewaal, from the consultant team contracted to facilitate the JLP events. The paper first outlines key characteristics of the water sector. It then presents common features of successful SWAps, followed by a discussion of challenges to water SWAps. The paper draws particularly on the experiences from water SWAps in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Nicaragua, South Africa and Zambia where learning events have been held in the context of the Joint Learning Progamme on SWAps or in the context of the European Union Water Initiative.