These were consulting assignments undertaken by Len Abrams before joining the World Bank and span the period November 1995 to December 2002. For assignments and responsibilities after December 2002, see the CV.

• 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 21st 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.
• 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.