Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has been awarded a special AfricaSan Award for his work as UN Water and Sanitation advisor.

The award is an initiative of AMCOW, the African Ministerial Council on Water. In their jury report a number of African ministers say that the Prince has been instrumental in improving water supplies, sanitation and hygiene in Africa. Willem-Alexander also gets the award for bringing water and sanitation issues to the attention of African Union heads of state.

The award was presented in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday by AMCOW president Bruno Jean-Richard Ituoa, and received on behalf of the prince by the prince's deputy at the UN, Ms Uschi Eid.

Prince Willem-Alexander addressing a water conference in 2008 (ANP Photo)