News
KIGALI, Rwanda – The President of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), H.E. Dr CHEIKH TIDIANE DIEYE, held a strategic meeting with the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, H.E Moses Vilakati, to reinforce political commitment to water and sanitation across the continent.
The discussions held on the margins of the Africa Water and Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium in Kigali, centered on sustaining political momentum beyond the declaration of 2026 as the AU Year on Water and Sanitation. The two leaders emphasised that the high-level commemoration of the AU Theme of the year 2026 on water and launch of Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy must leave a lasting legacy, elevating the sector’s profile in the next decade and delivering benefits to the millions of Africans still without access to safe drinking water and decent sanitation.
The meeting directed the African Union Commission and AMCOW’s technical team to develop concrete, high-impact proposals that create an enabling environment for the implementation of the Vision statements and the related policy framework
The talks also covered preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, and the 11th World Water Forum holding in Riyadh in 2027 including activities before, during and after these events. Both leaders agreed that Africa must approach the 2026 UN Water Conference with a unified voice firmly grounded in the Africa Water Vision and Policy.
The AMCOW President and AU Commissioner further stressed the importance of sustained political leadership and stronger institutional mechanisms to translate Africa’s water and sanitation priorities into tangible results on the ground.
