9.1.4. Policy: The SADC Water Sector’s achievement of its development goals, objectives, strategies, programmes and institutional performance shall be assessed through a coherent monitoring and evaluation system. A regional water sector monitoring and evaluation system should be coordinated by the SADC Secretariat to ensure regional consistency, but would be implemented at a number of levels; including regional, shared watercourses, national, and project levels. It would be appropriate to link this system with other sectors within SADC to ensure a coherent monitoring and evaluation system. Successful and sustainable implementation of the Regional Water Policy and Strategy, the Revised Protocol and the Water Sector Implementation Plan requires monitoring and evaluation. Such monitoring and evaluation would, particularly, focus on the achievement of the regional Millennium Development Goals and the SADC Water Sector targets. The value of a monitoring and evaluation system lies in the strategic direction, comparative lessons and potential refocusing that it provides, as well as strengthening the credibility of the SADC Water Sector activities in terms of garnering support from Member States and Cooperating Partners. 9.2 Shared Watercourse Institutions (SWCIs) 9.2.1. Policy: Appropriate SWCIs shall be negotiated in all shared watercourses by agreement between the watercourse States. Cooperation in the integrated management of shared watercourses should be institutionalised through appropriate SWCIs, such as Watercourse Commissions, Water Authorities or Boards. The Protocol promotes and facilitates the establishment of SWCIs for the management of shared watercourses. The specific terms of establishment, including the roles and organisation of an SWCI, shall be specified by a formal agreement negotiated between the Watercourse States. 9.2.2. Policy: A SWCI shall be established on each shared watercourse to advise and coordinate the sustainable development and equitable utilisation of the associated water resources for mutual benefit and integration Member States are encouraged to establish an SWCI on each of the fifteen shared watercourses in SADC, in the interests of regional cooperative and integrated management of these water resources. Every SADC Watercourse State must participate in the SWCI and every opportunity should be followed to promote the participation of all Watercourse States. SWCI establishment does not exclude the possibility of other bi-lateral or multilateral water institutions for specific purposes, particularly the development and operation of joint water projects. However, these are subject to the framework provided by the watercourse States. - 45 -