Press Release
Dakar, 06 October 2025 – The Governing Council of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW – at its 14th ordinary session on 29 September 2025 – adopted the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy (AWVP63). The Councils comprises Ministers responsible for water, sanitation, environment and related affairs, together with the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment. The Vision and Policy positions water as Africa’s most strategic asset to drive the ambitions for social transformation and economic growth under Agenda 2063. AMCOW serves as the sectoral ministerial committee on water and sanitation of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, Water and Environment (STCARBWE).
The Vision is clear: “A water-secure and resilient Africa with safe sanitation for all.”
It positions water and sanitation as enablers of inclusive prosperity, regional integration, peace and human dignity.
Key highlights of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy:
• Transformative Purpose: AWVP63 provides a continental framework to achieve inclusive and climate-resilient water security, aligned with Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
• A New Direction: It redefines water as a driver of prosperity – food, energy, trade,
industry; a bridge of peace – shared rivers as pathways to cooperation; and the
foundation of resilience – climate adaptation and ecological sustainability.
• Rooted in Africa’s Commitments: The Vision builds on more than two decades of
Member States commitments and progress to actualise the Africa Water Vision 2025.
Immediate Action for Africa’s Water Future
To fast-track implementation, Ministers approved a powerful package of measures: a new Strategic Plan to strengthen AMCOW’s role as Africa’s water champion; bold business and budget plans to ensure sustainability; and a long-term programme to secure Africa’s hidden lifeline groundwater – for water security and resilience. They also committed to mobilising innovative financing, including convening an International Conference on Financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy in 2026.
Africa Rising with Water Leadership
The Vision and Policy will next be tabled for endorsement at the 39th AU Summit in February
2026 – a step making it the official continental water framework to deliver the Africa We Want. This endorsement will also carry Africa’s united voice and input to the UN 2026 Water Conference, ensuring the continent’s priorities shape the global water agenda. Ministers called on all Member States to move swiftly, bringing the Vision home into national and regional development plans so that action starts now.
H.E. Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, AMCOW President and Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation of Senegal, hails the adoption as “Africa’s solemn commitment to future generations – to safeguard water as the heartbeat of prosperity, peace, and dignity, and to place it at the centre of Africa’s transformation.”
H.E. Eng Collins Nzovu, PANAFCON-3 Host and Minister for Water Development and Sanitation of Zambia, reaffirms that “Under President Hichilema’s leadership, Zambia will spare no effort in mobilising consensus, engaging with partners, and championing this agenda in the spirit of African solidarity and shared prosperity.”
Dr. Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary, emphasises: “This Vision transforms how Africa thinks and acts on water: from fragmented responses to collective action, from short-term fixes to long-term resilience. It is a call to value water in all its dimensions and lead with innovation, cooperation, and trust.”
A Collective Compass for the Future
The Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy is more than a policy document – it is a continental compass, guiding Africa towards prosperity, resilience, and unity through water and sanitation.
The AWVP63 was formulated under the auspices of the African Union (AU) in collaboration with the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), the African Development Bank through the Africa Water Facility (AfDB-AWF), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
About AMCOW
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) was established in 2002 to provide political leadership, policy direction, and advocacy for water and sanitation across Africa. As the sectoral committee on water and sanitation to the African Union’s Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, Water and Environment (STCARBWE), AMCOW champions sustainable water management to drive development while safeguarding ecosystems. Working with the AU, partners, and initiatives including the EUfunded Blue Africa Action co-financed by the Govenment of Germany through GIZ, AMCOW strengthens continental water governance and mobilises investment for the sector. Since 2023, AMCOW under the auspices of the AU, has spearheaded the adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy – a landmark framework to secure safe water and sanitation for all, power economic transformation, and deliver on the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
Further information: www.amcow-online.org
Communique: https://amcow-online.org/14th-amcow-governing-council-adopts-the-africawater-vision-2063-and-policy/
Pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCvZuE
Media Contact:
Joanna Fatch
Email: jfatch@amcow-online.org
