Press Release
ABUJA, Nigeria, September 2023
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Government of the Republic of Namibia, will convene the Seventh Africa Sanitation and Hygiene Conference, commonly called the AfricaSan7 Conference. The event will take place in Swakopmund, Namibia, on 6 – 11 November 2023 – under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR).
The AfricaSan Conference is organised biennially to promote high-level political prioritisation of sanitation and hygiene issues across Africa. This 7th Edition is convened on the theme: “Strengthening Systems and Partnerships for Accelerated Action on Safely Managed Sanitation and Hygiene.”
The overall objective of the AfricaSan7 Conference is to revitalise the pursuit of the targets of the 2008 Ngor Declaration of African Ministers responsible for sanitation and hygiene. Among others, one specific Conference objective includes strengthening partnerships and facilitating knowledge exchange for action on delivering safely managed sanitation and hygiene services.
AfricaSan7 will convene ministers responsible for sanitation and hygiene in Africa, together with senior civil servants, academics, civil society, development partners and the private sector to take stock of the following:
- The 2023 AfricaSan Ngor report highlighting Member States’ advancements in sanitation.
- The Dakar Declaration’s suggestions from the 9th World Water Forum that elevate sanitation’s role in national development and,
- The UN 2023 Water Conference decisions to hastening SDG on sanitation and hygiene.
The AfricaSan7 follows in the tradition of six previous editions of the Africa Sanitation and Hygiene Conferences – held on a rotational basis across the five African sub-regions. The Government of the Republic of Namibia will host this editionat the prestigious MTC Dome in Swakopmund.
Arrangements have been in top gear since 17 August when the Cabinet of the Government of the Republic of Namibia approved the joint hosting of the AfricaSan7 Conference with AMCOW.
The technical sessions, Ministerial Dialogues, country and sector dialogues will address several thematic areas across different conference segments. The conference’s attendees will be African Union Member States, UN Agencies, networks of development partners, the private sector, civil societies, community-based organisations, and the media.
For more information about the AfricaSan7 Conference, click on: www.africasan.amcow-online.org
About the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is an intergovernmental institution of the African Union. AMCOW’s organs and structures serve as the Working Group of the African Union’s Water and Sanitation Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE).
AMCOW’s mission is to provide political leadership, policy direction, and advocacy for water management and sustainable sanitation services delivery in Africa. The Council convenes the AU Member States and all stakeholders, pursuing the Africa Water Vision, Ngor commitments, and SDGs. Our mandate involves mobilising collective action to achieve water and sanitation goals, streamlining efforts for a broader impact. Additionally, we share knowledge to support evidence-based policies and responsive initiatives. Efficient resource utilisation is crucial to guide funding and investments for effective outcomes. AMCOW strives to improve water and sanitation services in Africa through political leadership, policy direction, and strategic collaboration among diverse actors.
To arrange for interviews please contact
Obinna Anah
AMCOW Knowledge Management, Communications and Visibility Officer
And
Jona Musheko
Communication Officer at Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Namibia
For more information, visit https://www.amcow-online.org
Follow AMCOW/MAWLR:
Twitter: @amcowafrica
LinkedIn: https://ng.linkedin.com/company/amcowafrica
Twitter: @MAWLR_Nam
Facebook: Ministry of Agriculture, Water & Land Reform
