Special Messages – African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW)

Category: Special Messages

January 1, 2026

2025 END-OF-YEAR MESSAGE FROM AMCOW PRESIDENT

HIS EXCELLENCY DR CHEIKH TIDIANE DIEYE
MINISTER OF HYDRAULICS AND SANITATION, SENEGAL
AMCOW PRESIDENT

I welcome the adoption of the new Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy by the 14th Session of the AMCOW General Assembly.

Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye

AMCOW President

The year 2025 has emerged as a pivotal milestone for the African water and sanitation community. Throughout this year, we have resolutely pursued AMCOW’s mission, which is to “provide political leadership, strategic guidance and advocacy for the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and the preservation of African ecosystems“.

True to this mission and mandate, AMCOW, in close collaboration with the African Union Commission, has led the process of developing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

You will recall that at the beginning of the new millennium, we set out our ambition for “an Africa where water resources are used equitably and sustainably for socio-economic development, poverty reduction, regional cooperation and environmental protection by 2025“.

I am delighted that, in this pivotal year, the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy was adopted at the 14th Session of the AMCOW General Assembly, held on 29 September in Dakar, Senegal. This Vision and Policy – that of a resilient Africa, secure in terms of water and equipped with safe sanitation for all – is not merely an aspiration. They constitute a genuine roadmap for the next 38 years, with the overall objective of ensuring water security as part of the implementation of Agenda 2063, the Africa we want. They position water as an essential catalyst for the achievement of Agenda 2063, from poverty eradication, food security and industrialisation to climate resilience and regional integration.

The new Africa Water Vision will be our compass, our collective voice and our shared commitment to future generations. It will also serve as Africa’s common position and contribution to the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, with a view to accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).

I am particularly pleased that the document entitled “Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063” is the result of a long consultative process led by Member States. This approach aligns with the priorities defined at the beginning of Senegal’s two-year term as President of AMCOW. As recalled during the handover of the AMCOW presidency on 3 March 2025, one of our major ambitions was to reach a consensus on the development and adoption of a common and ambitious Africa Water Vision and Policy post-2025.

This approach was also in line with the decisions of the 13th AMCOW General Assembly, held in the Arab Republic of Egypt in June 2023, which entrusted the AMCOW Secretariat with conducting a multi-level dialogue process with a view to adopting the new Vision.

The sub-regional consultation meetings, organised by the AMCOW Vice-Presidents in each of the sub-regions, on the sidelines of our institution’s statutory meetings, played a decisive role in this consultative process. In this regard, allow me to commend the leadership and support of my colleagues and AMCOW Vice-Presidents:

E. Jumaa Hamidu AWESO (MP), Minister of Water and Irrigation of the United Republic of Tanzania, hosted the meeting of the East Africa Sub-Regional Ministerial Committee from 4 to 7 March 2025 in Dar Es Salaam;
E. Joseph Terlumun UTSEV, FNSE, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hosted the West African Member States from 18 to 20 March in Abuja;
E. Dr Anxious Jongwe MASUKA, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe, convened the Southern Africa sub-regional meeting from 24 to 26 March in Harare;
E. José Juan Ndong Tom MEKINA, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Environment of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, convened the Central African Member States to a virtual meeting on 2 and 3 April 2025; and
E. Nizar BARAKA, Minister of Equipment and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco, convened the Member States of North Africa on 8 and 10 April in Rabat.

We also express our deep gratitude to the authorities of the Republic of Zambia for hosting the Third Pan-African Conference on Implementation and Partnership (PANAFCON-3), held from 27 to 29 May in Lusaka. PANAFCON-3 provided an inclusive platform for broad consultations with all stakeholders to review the initial draft Vision and Policy Framework for the post-2025 period, aimed at ensuring water security and access to sanitation for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. We extend our sincere thanks to the Honourable Collins NZOVU, Member of Parliament and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation of the Republic of Zambia, for his visionary leadership and mobilisation in convening and conducting PANAFCON-3.

Another major milestone was the African Union Summit on Investment in the Water Sector, held from 13 to 15 August 2025 in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, during which AMCOW organised an awareness-raising session on the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. We deeply appreciate the leadership of the Honourable Pemmy MAJODINA, Member of Parliament and Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of South Africa, who was able to mobilise and unite political leaders around this strategic agenda during the Summit.

The development of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy would not have been possible without the decisive leadership of the African Union Commission. In this regard, allow me to express my gratitude to my brother and visionary leader, His Excellency Mr Moses VILAKATI, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Economy, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) of the African Union Commission. We also extend our thanks to the reference group and sherpas appointed by the African Union Commission who worked, on the one hand, to build a broad political consensus around the fundamental principles of the Africa Water Vision and Policy and, on the other hand, to ensure sustained dialogue and active engagement of all stakeholders.

We also welcome the continued support and valuable collaboration of the African Development Bank, through the African Water Facility (AWF); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA); the Gates Foundation (GF); the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, through GIZ; the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI); the African Network of Civil Society Organisations on Water and Sanitation (ANEW); the AUDA-NEPAD Network of Centres of Excellence on Water; WaterAid; the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR); and all our implementing partners.

At the end of the year, we also had the honour of taking part in several high-level continental events. These included the eight edition of Cairo Water Week, held from 12 to 16 October in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, and the 19th World Water Congress, organised by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) from 1 to 5 December in Marrakesh, Kingdom of Morocco.

As we approach the end of 2025, we look forward to 2026 with renewed commitment. We express our gratitude to our Heads of State and Government for adopting the theme “Ensuring sustainable availability of water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063” as the theme of the African Union for the year 2026. This strategic choice aims to strengthen water security in order to realise Africa’s aspirations to expand its economic opportunities.

The thirty-ninth ordinary session of the Assembly, scheduled for February 2026, will be mainly devoted to the adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as a continental tool for implementing Agenda 2063.

In accordance with the decision of the African Union (Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII)), the Republic of Senegal also notes the opportunity offered by the vertical links between the African Union’s 2026 theme framework and the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation. As co-organiser of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, Senegal also intends to place the Africa Water Vision and Policy at the heart of global discussions on the actions to be taken to give new impetus to the implementation of Africa’s commitments on water and sanitation.

As we commemorate the AU theme for 2026, we seek to:

develop a first detailed implementation plan for the Africa Water Vision and Policy for the period 2026-2033.
formulate the first implementation plan 2026-2033 for the Africa Water Vision and Policy (FIP 2026-33) and mobilise the necessary efforts to implement this Vision by 2063;
organise, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank, an international conference on financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy;
ensure the dissemination and awareness-raising of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy at major events, including:

12th Ordinary Session of the African Regional Forum for Sustainable Development on the theme: Water and Development – UNECA
Africa Water & Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium Kigali 2026
Regional preparatory processes towards the 11th World Water Forum

In conclusion, allow me to reaffirm my full commitment to working in collaboration with all Member States, partner institutions and all stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector. Only through collective action, based on determination and solidarity, can we make water and sanitation a political and socio-economic priority, serving inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity for our continent in 2026 and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

H.E. Dr Cheikh Tidiane DIEYE
Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation,
Republic of Senegal
AMCOW President

MESSAGE DE FIN D'ANNÉE 2025 DU PRÉSIDENT DE L'AMCOW

SON EXCELLENCE DR CHEIKH TIDIANE DIEYE
MINISTRE DE L’HYDRAULIQUE ET DE L’ASSAINISSEMENT, RÉPUBLIQUE DU SÉNÉGAL
PRÉSIDENT DE L’AMCOW

Je me félicite de l’option de la nouvelle Vision et Politique africaines de l'eau 2063, par la 14^eSession de l’Assemblée générale de l'AMCOW.

Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye

Président de l'AMCOW

L’année 2025 s’est affirmée comme une étape charnière pour la communauté africaine de l’eau et de l’assainissement. Tout au long de cette année, nous avons poursuivi avec détermination la mission de l’AMCOW, qui consiste à « assurer le leadership politique, l’orientation stratégique et la promotion de la fourniture, de l’utilisation et de la gestion des ressources en eau en faveur d’un développement social et économique durable, ainsi que de la préservation des écosystèmes africains ».

Fidèle à cette mission et à ce mandat, l’AMCOW, en étroite collaboration avec la Commission de l’Union africaine, a conduit le processus d’élaboration de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063.

Vous vous souviendrez qu’au début du nouveau millénaire, nous avions formulé l’ambition d’« une Afrique où les ressources en eau seraient utilisées de manière équitable et durable au service du développement socio-économique, de la réduction de la pauvreté, de la coopération régionale et de la protection de l’environnement d’ici 2025 ».

Je me réjouis, qu’en cette année charnière, la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau 2063 soit adoptée lors la 14^e Session de l’Assemblée générale de l’AMCOW, tenue le 29 septembre à Dakar, au Sénégal,. Cette Vision et Politique — celles d’une Afrique résiliente, sécurisée sur le plan de l’eau et dotée d’un assainissement sûr pour tous — ne relèvent pas de simples aspirations. Elles constituent une véritable feuille de route pour les 38 prochaines années, avec pour objectif global de garantir la sécurité de l’eau dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre de l’Agenda 2063, l’Afrique que nous voulons. Elles positionnent l’eau comme un catalyseur essentiel de la réalisation de l’Agenda 2063, de l’éradication de la pauvreté, de la sécurité alimentaire et de l’industrialisation, en passant par la résilience climatique et l’intégration régionale.

La nouvelle Vision africaine de l’eau sera notre boussole, notre voix collective et notre engagement commun envers les générations futures. Elle servira également de position et de contribution communes de l’Afrique à la Conférence des Nations unies sur l’eau de 2026, en vue d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de l’Objectif de développement durable n° 6 (ODD 6).

Je me me félicite tout particulièrement que le document intitulé « Vision et politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063» soit l’aboutissement d’un long processus consultatif conduit par les Etats membres. Cette approche s’inscrit pleinement dans les priorités définies au début du mandat de deux ans du Sénégal à la présidence de l’AMCOW. Comme rappelé lors de la passation de pouvoir à la présidence de l’AMCOW, le 03 mars 2025, l’une de nos ambitions majeures était de parvenir à un consensus autour de l’élaboration et de l’adoption d’une Vision et politique africaines de l’eau post-2025, à la fois communes et ambitieuses.

Cette démarche répondait également aux décisions de la 13e Assemblée générale de l’AMCOW, tenue en République arabe d’Egypte en juin 2023, qui avaient confié au Secrétariat de l’AMCOW la conduite d’un processus de dialogue à plusieurs niveaux en vue de l’adoption de la nouvelle Vision.

Les réunions de consultation sous-régionales, organisées par les Vice-présidents de l’AMCOW dans chacune des sous-régions, en marge des réunions statutaires de notre institution, ont joué un rôle déterminant dans ce processus consultatif. Permettez-moi, à cet égard, de saluer le leadership et l’appui de mes collègues et Vice-présidents de l’AMCOW :

E. Jumaa Hamidu AWESO (MP), Ministre de l’Eau et de l’Irrigation de la République-Unie de Tanzanie, a accueilli la réunion du Comité ministériel sous-régional de l’Afrique de l’Est du 4 au 7 mars 2025 à Dar Es Salaam ;
E. Joseph Terlumun UTSEV, FNSE, Ministre des Ressources en eau et de l’Assainissement de la République fédérale du Nigeria, a accueilli les États membres d’Afrique de l’Ouest du 18 au 20 mars à Abuja ;
E. Dr Anxious Jongwe MASUKA, Ministre des Terres, de l’Agriculture, de la Pêche, de l’Eau et du Développement rural de la République du Zimbabwe, a convoqué la réunion sous-régionale d’Afrique australe du 24 au 26 mars à Harare ;
E. José Juan Ndong Tom MEKINA, Ministre de l’Agriculture, de l’Élevage, des Forêts, de la Pêche et de l’Environnement de la République de Guinée équatoriale, a convoqué les États membres d’Afrique centrale à une réunion virtuelle les 2 et 3 avril 2025 ; et
E. Nizar BARAKA, Ministre de l’Équipement et de l’Eau du Royaume du Maroc, a réuni les États membres d’Afrique du Nord les 8 et 10 avril à Rabat.

Nous exprimons également notre profonde reconnaissance aux autorités de la République de Zambie pour avoir accueilli la troisième Conférence panafricaine sur la mise en œuvre et le partenariat (PANAFCON-3), tenue du 27 au 29 mai à Lusaka. PANAFCON-3 a offert une plateforme inclusive de vastes consultations avec l’ensemble des parties prenantes, en vue de l’examen du projet initial de Vision et de cadre politique pour l’après-2025, visant à garantir la sécurité de l’eau et l’accès à l’assainissement pour une Afrique intégrée, prospère et pacifique. Nous adressons nos sincères remerciements à l’Honorable Collins NZOVU, Député et Ministre des Ressources en eau et de l’assainissement de la République de Zambie, pour le leadership éclairé et la mobilisation qu’il a assurés dans la convocation et la conduite de la PANAFCON-3.

Une autre étape majeure a été le Sommet de l’Union africaine sur l’investissement dans le secteur de l’eau, tenu du 13 au 15 août 2025 au Cap, en République d’Afrique du Sud, à l’occasion duquel l’AMCOW a organisé une session de sensibilisation consacrée à la Vision et Politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063. Nous saluons avec une profonde reconnaissance le leadership de l’Honorable Pemmy MAJODINA, Députée et Ministre de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement de la République d’Afrique du Sud, qui a su mobiliser fédérer les dirigeants politiques autour de cet agenda stratégique lors dudit Sommet.

L’élaboration de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 n’aurait pu aboutir sans le leadership déterminant de la Commission de l’Union africaine. Permettez-moi, à cet égard, d’exprimer ma gratitude à mon frère et leader visionnaire, Son Excellence Monsieur Moses VILAKATI, Commissaire à l’agriculture, au développement rural, à l’économie bleue et à l’environnement durable (ARBE) de la Commission de l’Union africaine. Nous adressons également nos remerciements au groupe de référence et aux sherpas désignés par la Commission de l’Union africaine qui ont œuvré, d’une part, à l’établissement un large consensus politique autour des principes fondamentaux de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau et, d’autre part, assurer un dialogue soutenu et un engagement actif de l’ensemble des parties prenantes.

Nous saluons en outre le soutien constant et la collaboration précieuse de la Banque africaine de développement, à travers la Facilité africaine de l’eau (AWF) ; de la Commission économique des Nations unies pour l’Afrique ; de la Fondation Gates (GF) ; de l’Union européenne et du ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du Développement, par l’intermédiaire de la GIZ ; du Fonds pour l’environnement mondial (FEM), via l’Organisation des Nations unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) et l’Institut international de gestion de l’eau (IWMI) ; du Réseau africain de la société civile sur l’eau et l’assainissement (ANEW) ; du Réseau des centres d’excellence sur l’eau de l’AUDA-NEPAD ; de WaterAid ; de l’Institut fédéral des géosciences et des ressources naturelles (BGR), ainsi que de l’ensemble de nos partenaires de mise en œuvre.

En fin d’année, nous avons également eu l’honneur de prendre part à plusieurs événements continentaux de haut niveau. Il s’agit notamment de la huitième édition de la Semaine de l’eau du Caire, tenue du 12 au 16 octobre au Caire, en République arabe d’Egypte, ainsi que du XIXe Congrès mondial de l’eau, organisé par l’Association internationale des ressources en eau (IWRA) du 1er au 5 décembre à Marrakech, au Royaume du Maroc.

Alors que nous sommes au soir de l’année 2025, nous abordons 2026 avec un engagement renouvelé. Nous exprimons notre gratitude à nos Chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement pour avoir adopté le thème « Assurer la disponibilité durable de l’eau et des systèmes d’assainissement sûrs pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 » comme thème de l’Union africaine pour l’année 2026. Ce choix stratégique vise à renforcer la sécurité de l’eau afin de concrétiser les aspirations de l’Afrique à l’élargissement de ses opportunités économiques.

La trente-neuvième session ordinaire de l’Assemblée, prévue en février 2026, sera principalement consacrée à l’adoption de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 en tant qu’outil continental de mise en œuvre de l’Agenda 2063.

Conformément à la décision de l’Union africaine (Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII)), la République du Sénégal prend également note de l’opportunité offerte par les liens verticaux entre le cadre d’action du thème de l’Union africaine pour 2026 et la Conférence des Nations unies sur l’eau de 2026, en vue d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de l’Objectif de développement durable n° 6, relatif à l’eau et à l’assainissement. En sa qualité de co-organisateur de la Conférence des Nations unies sur l’eau de 2026, le Sénégal entend également placer la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau au cœur des échanges mondiaux sur les actions à entreprendre afin de donner un nouvel élan à la mise en œuvre des engagements de l’Afrique en matière d’eau et d’assainissement.

Alors que nous commémorons le thème de l’UA pour 2026, nous cherchons à :

élaborer un premier plan de mise en œuvre détaillé de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau pour la période 2026-2033.
formuler le premier plan de mise en œuvre 2026-2033 de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau (FIP 2026-33) et mobiliser des efforts nécessaires à la mise en œuvre de cette Vision d’ici 2063 ;
organiser, en marge de la réunion annuelle 2026 de la Banque africaine de développement, une conférence internationale sur le financement de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau 2063 ;
assurera la diffusion et la sensibilisation autour de la Vision et politique africaines de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 lors des grands événements, notamment :

la 12e Session ordinaire du Forum régional africain pour le développement durable sur le thème : Eau et développement – CEA
le Symposium sur le leadership en matière de systèmes d’approvisionnement en eau et d’assainissement en Afrique, Kigali 2026
les Processus préparatoires régionaux en vue du 11^eForum mondial de l’eau

Pour conclure, permettez-moi de réaffirmer mon engagement total à travailler en collaboration avec tous les Etats membres, les institutions partenaires et toutes les parties prenantes du secteur de l’eau et de l’assainissement. Ce n’est qu’à travers une action collective, fondée sur la détermination et la solidarité que nous pourrons faire de l’eau et de l’assainissement une priorité politique et socio-économique, au service d’une croissance inclusive et d’une prospérité durable pour notre continent, en 2026 et au-delà..

Cordialement,

S.E. Dr Cheikh Tidiane DIEYE
Ministre de l’Hydraulique et de l’Assainissement,
République du Sénégal
Président de l’AMCOW

By Genevieve Osuorji

Special Messages

December 27, 2025

Season’s Greetings and Recap of AMCOW’s Efforts in 2025

Dear Esteemed Friends and Partners,

As we come to an end of 2025, allow us to wish you and loved ones happy holidays. This is also a perfect moment to look back at the final milestone year for the Africa Water 2025.

For us, the adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, at the 14^th General Assembly of the Governing Council of AMCOW – hosted by the Republic of Senegal, is the main highlight for 2025. The Vision and Policy – of a water secure and resilient Africa with safe sanitation for all – is not merely aspirational. It is a blueprint for action within the context of assuring water security in pursuit of the goals of AU’s Agenda 2063.

The Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy seeks to deliver on a set of eight vision statements, namely;

Universal access to safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services
Sustainable water availability for transformed economies and growing, prosperous populations facing greater climate uncertainty
A thriving blue economy sustainably leverages Africa’s marine resources to drive prosperity, climate resilience, ecosystem protection and well-being
Water governance systems, institutions and transformative leadership grounded in international water law and the principles of subsidiarity, accountability and transparency
Water basins recognise as shared natural assets for enhancing regional integration, peace, social inclusion and political stability
People, economies, and ecosystems are resilient and adequately protected from risks of natural and man-made water-related disasters
Human capital development, technological empowerment and adaptive learning meet the requirements for effective management of Africa’s natural resources base
Investment into legitimised and integrated water information systems supporting science-based decision making for climate resilience and raising the profile of water management and sanitation in national systems for economic planning, investment and financial allocation

The process of formulating the Post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy is traced back to the 2022 WASSMO Report when an eight-step roadmap was outlined and adopted.

In February, as a part of the step to ensure high-level political ownership of the vision and commitment to its implementation, the African Union Commission appointed the Reference Group and Sherpas. The main task of the Reference Group was to advise on the central tenets and provide leadership to build broad political consensus on the new Africa Water Vision and Policy. At the technical level, the Reference Group was supported by a team of Sherpas who commenced their work with the formulation of for thematic papers to inform consultations.

Later in February, with strong support from Member States and the AUC, we secured landmark decisions on water and sanitation. During the 38^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, held on February 15-16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the Union took decisions:

Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII) adopting “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” as the African Union Theme of the year 2026.
Assembly/AU/Dec.931(XXXVIII) acknowledging the Republic of Zambia’s leadership to host, on 27 – 29 May 2025, the third African Implementation and Partnership Conference on water and sanitation (PANAFCON-3).

In March and April, AMCOW Statutory Meetings of the Technical Advisory and Technical Experts Committees and Partners provided a platform for consultations at the sub-regional level. These meetings assured the involvement and contribution of all Member States in formulating the new vision and policy.

Prior to the statutory meetings, AMCOW officially welcomed the Republic of Senegal as its new President, on 3 March, marking an important transition in advancing Africa’s water and sanitation goals. The Republic of Senegal assumed the presidency from the Arab Republic of Egypt for a two-year term, until 2027. In his inaugural address, His Excellency Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, as the President of AMCOW, reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment to drive progress to achieve water and sanitation sector targets. AMCOW’s leadership changes extended to its Executive Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, with Senegal taking a leading role. Egypt took over the role of chair of the Africa Water Facility (AWF) Governing Council. AWF is an AMCOW initiative hosted by the African Development Bank.

The third African Implementation and Partnership on Water (PANAFCON-3) convened on 27-29 May 2025 in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia, provided a platform for reviewing the initial draft of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. PANAFCON-3 reached consensus on the vision and policy goals. Collectively, political leadership undertook to promote the principles of valuing water and the circular sanitation economy to assure sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.

In June, PANAFCON-3 outcomes informed an iterated version of the draft Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy that was shared with Member States in July.

The months of July and August were dedicated to finalising the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. To ensure continued input in finalising the draft vision and policy, virtual Member States’ meetings were conducted on 24 July 2025 and 07 August 2025. Further, a session on the draft Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy was convened during the Africa Water Investment Summit, held on 13-15 August 2025 in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa. The main objective of the session was to create awareness on the vision and policy.

In September, our energy and focus were devoted to preparation of the 14^th General Assembly of AMCOW hosted from 27 – 29 September in Dakar, the Republic of Senegal. Apart from adopting the new Vision and Policy, the General Assembly also approved:

the AMCOW Business Plan 2026 – 2030 to provide a strategic framework for ensuring AMCOW’s financial stability and long-term institutional sustainability;
the AMCOW Strategic Operational Plan 2026 – 2030 which positions AMCOW as a proactive, influential, and practical institution in efforts to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation outcomes in Africa; and,
the Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa 2026 – 2033 to accelerate implementation of APAGroP.

In October, we participated at the 6th Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE) of AUC held on 21-24 October, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At the STC, AMCOW submitted the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as well as the 2024 Annual Report of the Commission on the implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration on the Sharm El Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa. Consequently, the 6^th STC on ARDWE took several decisions related to water and sanitation, as follows:

Took note of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as adopted by the Sectoral Ministerial Committee on Water and Sanitation (AMCOW) to provide strategic guidance to the resilience building within the water and sanitation sector
Further, took note the 2024 Annual Report of the Commission on the implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration on the Sharm El Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa (Assembly/AU/ Decl.1 (XI)). The report provides the agreed situation analysis and the baseline information for the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.
Recommended the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy for endorsement by the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government: (i) as a continental implementation framework for achieving the goals of Agenda 2063; and, (ii) as Africa’s Common Position and input to the UN 2026 Water Conference to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6.
Tasked the AMCOW Secretariat, working with the AUC; AfDB; AWF; and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and in consultation with Member States to: (i) to develop the First Implementation Plan 2026-2033 of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy (FIP 2026-33) to launch efforts to realise the vision by 2063. And (ii) to organise – on the margins of the 2026 African Development Bank Annual Meeting – an International Conference on Financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy Implementation Plan 2026-2033.
Requested the President of the African Development Bank to facilitate the hosting of the International Conference on Financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy on the margins of the Bank’s Annual Meetings in 2026.
Further requested the AU Commission to facilitate the launch of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy at the 39^thOrdinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of State and Government in February 2026.
Requested the AU Commission in collaboration with the AMCOW Secretariat and the African Development Bank to organize for the launch the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy Implementation Plan (2026 – 2033) at the International Financing Conference to be hosted on the margins of the AfDB’s Annual Meetings in 2026 for the purpose of mobilizing resources.
Requested Member States to: (i) domesticate the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy into their national frameworks to facilitate implementation; and (ii) work with Regional Economic Communities to ensure standardisation and harmonisation.

We closed the month of October with an announcement of AMCOW’s appointment as a Regional Coordinator of the 11^th World Water Forum Regional Process for Africa. The World Water Council appointed regional processes coordinating institutions for Africa, the Americas, Arab as well as Asia and the Pacific regions. The appointment was based on proven experience, collaboration capacity, and strong commitment to advancing regional perspectives in global water dialogue. AMCOW has always ensured stronger engagement of the AUC, AfDB and members states as well as partners in the preparation for the World Water Forum series.

In November, together with the African Union Commission, through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, we convened the 6^th African Water and Sanitation Partners’ Coordination Platform (PCP) meeting. The meeting received updates from different eight (8) clusters co-leads on the activities undertaken since 5^th Ordinary Session of PCP. The meeting reviewed the draft Action Framework for the Implementation of the AU Theme for 2026 “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. A calendar of activities to commemorate the AU Theme for 2026 was also agreed by the partners. One of the key outcomes of the PCP was an agreement to establish a Task Team to facilitate the formulation of a draft First Implementation Plan 2026 – 2033 for the new Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

Finally, in December, we closed the year with our participation at different high-level events at continental and global levels. These include the XIX World Water Congress convened by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) from 1-5 December in Marrakech, Morocco and the International Water Association (IWA) Water and Development Congress and Exhibition 2025 on 8–12 December in Bangkok, Thailand. AMCOW used these events to present and create awareness on the new Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

As we conclude the year, we would like to express our gratitude to AUC, through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, for the leadership provided in the process of formulating the new vision and policy. The achievements in this years were as a result of the tremendous support and invaluable contributions from:

Excellences the President, Vice Presidents, and Members of the council of Ministers.
the Member States that availed the data used to prepare the knowledge and information materials shared during the events convened.
the African Development Bank through the Africa Water Facility (AWF); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; the United States State Department through USAID; Gates Foundation (GF); the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation through GIZ; the Global Environmental Facility through the FAO and IWMI; African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), AUDA-NEPAD Network of Water Centres of Excellence; the Embassy of Finland in Zambia, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM), National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), SARO Agro Industrial Limited, SNV, Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), UNESCO, UNICEF, WaterAid; Wonderful Group, Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO), Zambia Sugar, the Zambezi watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM); and the Zambezi Water Authority (ZRA)

We are now looking forward to 2026, starting with the business of the Union to commemorate the AU Theme for 2026 “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. The 39^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly sets the stage for consideration and endorsement of the Africa Water Vision 2026 and Policy. As we implement the activities in 2026, we will continue counting on the leadership and support of Member States and the collective ability with partners towards “A Water Secure and Resilient Africa with Safe Sanitation for All”.

May your holidays and new year be filled with happiness!

AMCOW Secretariat

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FRENCH

Meilleurs vœux et bilan des efforts déployés par l’AMCOW en 2025

Chers amis et partenaires,

Alors que l’année 2025 touche à sa fin, nous vous souhaitons, à vous et à vos proches, de joyeuses fêtes. C’est également le moment idéal pour revenir sur cette année charnière pour Africa Water 2025.

Pour nous, l’adoption de la Vision africaine de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 et de la Politique, lors de la 14^eAssemblée générale du Conseil d’administration de l’AMCOW, organisée par la République du Sénégal, est le principal fait marquant de l’année 2025. La Vision et la Politique – d’une Afrique résiliente et en sécurité sur le plan hydrique, avec un assainissement sûr pour tous – ne sont pas seulement des aspirations. Il s’agit d’un plan d’action dans le contexte de la sécurité de l’eau, dans la poursuite des objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 de l’UA.

La Vision africaine de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 et la Politique visent à concrétiser un ensemble de huit Enoncés de vision, à savoir :

Accès universel à des services d’eau, d’assainissement et d’hygiène gérés de manière sûre
Disponibilité durable de l’eau pour des économies transformées et des populations croissantes et prospères confrontées à une plus grande incertitude climatique
Une économie bleue florissante qui exploite de manière durable les ressources marines de l’Afrique pour favoriser la prospérité, la résilience climatique, la protection des écosystèmes et le bien-être
Des systèmes de gouvernance de l’eau, des institutions et un leadership transformateur fondés sur le droit international de l’eau et les principes de subsidiarité, de responsabilité et de transparence
Reconnaissance des bassins hydrographiques comme des biens naturels communs pour renforcer l’intégration régionale, la paix, l’inclusion sociale et la stabilité politique
Les populations, les économies et les écosystèmes sont résilients et correctement protégés contre les risques de catastrophes naturelles et anthropiques liées à l’eau
Le développement du capital humain, l’autonomisation technologique et l’apprentissage adaptatif répondent aux exigences d’une gestion efficace des ressources naturelles africaines
Investissement dans des systèmes d’information sur l’eau légitimés et intégrés, soutenant la prise de décision fondée sur la science pour la résilience climatique et renforçant la visibilité de la gestion de l’eau et de l’assainissement dans les systèmes nationaux de planification économique, d’investissement et d’allocation financière

Le processus d’élaboration de la Vision africaine de l’eau post 2025 et la Politique remonte au rapport WASSMO 2022, dans lequel une feuille de route en huit étapes a été définie et adoptée.

En février, dans le cadre des mesures visant à garantir l’appropriation politique de haut niveau de la vision et l’engagement en faveur de sa mise en œuvre, la Commission de l’Union africaine a nommé le groupe de référence et les sherpas. La principale tâche du groupe de référence consistait à donner des conseils sur les principes fondamentaux et à jouer un rôle de premier plan dans l’établissement d’un large consensus politique sur la nouvelle Vision africaine de l’eau et la Politique. Sur le plan technique, le groupe de référence a été soutenu par une équipe de sherpas qui a commencé ses travaux par la formulation de quatre documents thématiques destinés à éclairer les consultations.

Plus tard en février, avec le soutien sans faille des États membres et de la CUA, nous avons obtenu des décisions historiques en matière d’eau et d’assainissement. Lors de la 38^esession ordinaire de l’Assemblée, qui s’est tenue les 15 et 16 février à Addis-Abeba, en Éthiopie, l’Assemblée des chefs d’État et de gouvernement de l’Union a pris les décisions suivantes :

Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII) adoptant « Garantir la disponibilité durable de l’eau et des systèmes d’assainissement sûrs pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 » comme thème de l’Union africaine pour l’année 2026.
Assembly/AU/Dec.931(XXXVIII) reconnaissant le rôle de chef de file joué par la République de Zambie en accueillant, du 27 au 29 mai 2025, la troisième Conférence africaine sur la mise en œuvre et le partenariat dans le domaine de l’eau et de l’assainissement (PANAFCON-3).

En mars et avril, les réunions statutaires de l’AMCOW des comités consultatifs techniques et d’experts techniques et des partenaires ont fourni une plateforme pour des consultations au niveau sous-régional. Ces réunions ont garanti la participation et la contribution de tous les États membres à la formulation de la nouvelle vision et de la nouvelle politique.

Avant les réunions statutaires, l’AMCOW a officiellement accueilli la République du Sénégal en tant que nouveau président, le 3 mars, marquant ainsi une transition importante dans la promotion des objectifs de l’Afrique en matière d’eau et d’assainissement. La République du Sénégal a succédé à la République arabe d’Égypte à la présidence pour un mandat de deux ans, jusqu’en 2027. Dans son discours inaugural, Son Excellence le Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, en tant que Président de l’AMCOW, a réaffirmé l’engagement du Sénégal à faire progresser la réalisation des objectifs dans le secteur de l’eau et de l’assainissement. Les changements à la tête de l’AMCOW se sont étendus à son comité exécutif et à son comité consultatif technique, le Sénégal jouant un rôle de premier plan. L’Égypte a pris la présidence du Conseil d’administration de la Facilité africaine de l’eau (FAE). La FAE est une initiative de l’AMCOW hébergée par la Banque africaine de développement.

La troisième Conférence africaine sur la mise en œuvre et le partenariat dans le domaine de l’eau (PANAFCON-3), qui s’est tenue du 27 au 29 mai 2025 à Lusaka, en République de Zambie, a fourni une plateforme pour examiner le projet initial de la Vision et de la politique africaines pour l’eau à l’horizon 2063. La PANAFCON-3 est parvenue à un consensus sur la vision et les objectifs politiques. Collectivement, les dirigeants politiques se sont engagés à promouvoir les principes de valorisation de l’eau et d’économie circulaire de l’assainissement afin de garantir la disponibilité durable de l’eau et la sécurité des systèmes d’assainissement pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Agenda 2063.

En juin, les résultats de la PANAFCON-3 ont servi de base à une version révisée du projet de Vision africaine de l’eau à l’horizon 2063 et de Politique, qui a été communiquée aux États membres en juillet.

Les mois de juillet et août ont été consacrés à la finalisation de la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et de la Politique. Afin de garantir la poursuite des contributions à la finalisation du projet de vision et de politique, des réunions virtuelles des États membres ont été organisées le 24 juillet 2025 et le 7 août 2025. En outre, une session sur le projet de Vision et de politique pour l’eau en Afrique à l’horizon 2063 a été organisée lors du Sommet africain sur l’investissement dans l’eau, qui s’est tenu du 13 au 15 août 2025 au Cap, en République d’Afrique du Sud. L’objectif principal de cette session était de sensibiliser les participants à la vision et à la politique.

En septembre, nous avons consacré toute notre énergie et toute notre attention à la préparation de la 14^eAssemblée générale de l’AMCOW, qui s’est tenue du 27 au 29 septembre à Dakar, en République du Sénégal. Outre l’adoption de la nouvelle Vision et de la nouvelle Politique, l’Assemblée générale a également approuvé :

le Business Plan 2026-2030 de l’AMCOW, qui fournit un cadre stratégique visant à garantir la stabilité financière et la viabilité institutionnelle à long terme de l’AMCOW ;
le Plan stratégique opérationnel 2026-2030 de l’AMCOW, qui positionne l’AMCOW comme une institution proactive, influente et pragmatique dans les efforts visant à garantir la sécurité de l’approvisionnement en eau et l’assainissement durable en Afrique ; et
le Programme stratégique sur les eaux souterraines pour la sécurité hydrique et la résilience en Afrique 2026-2033, afin d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de l’APAGroP.

En octobre, nous avons participé à la 6e session ordinaire du Comité technique spécialisé (CTS) sur l’agriculture, le développement rural, l’eau et l’environnement (ARDWE) de la CUA, qui s’est tenue du 21 au 24 octobre à Addis-Abeba, en Éthiopie. Lors du CTS, l’AMCOW a présenté la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la Politique ainsi que le rapport annuel 2024 de la Commission sur la mise en œuvre de la Déclaration de l’Assemblée de juillet 2008 sur les engagements de Charm el-Cheikh pour accélérer la réalisation des objectifs en matière d’eau et d’assainissement en Afrique. En conséquence, la 6^e réunion du CTS sur l’ARDWE a pris plusieurs décisions relatives à l’eau et à l’assainissement, comme suit :

A pris note de la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et de la Politique, telles qu’adoptées par le Comité ministériel sectoriel sur l’eau et l’assainissement (AMCOW), afin de fournir des orientations stratégiques pour le renforcement de la résilience dans le secteur de l’eau et de l’assainissement.
A pris note du rapport annuel 2024 de la Commission sur la mise en œuvre de la Déclaration de l’Assemblée de juillet 2008 sur les engagements de Charm el-Cheikh pour accélérer la réalisation des objectifs en matière d’eau et d’assainissement en Afrique (Assembly/AU/Decl.1 (XI)). Le rapport présente l’analyse convenue de la situation et les informations de référence pour la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la Politique.
A recommandé que la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la Politique soient approuvées par la 39e session ordinaire de la Conférence des chefs d’État et de gouvernement : (i) en tant que cadre continental de mise en œuvre pour la réalisation des objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 ; et (ii) en tant que position commune de l’Afrique et contribution à la Conférence des Nations unies sur l’eau de 2026 afin d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de l’ODD 6.
Chargé le Secrétariat de l’AMCOW, en collaboration avec la CUA, la BAD, la FAE et la Commission économique des Nations unies pour l’Afrique (CEA), et en consultation avec les États membres, de : (i) élaborer le premier plan de mise en œuvre le Fonds africain pour l’eau (FAE) et la Commission économique des Nations unies pour l’Afrique (CEA), et en consultation avec les États membres, de : (i) élaborer le premier plan de mise en œuvre 2026-2033 de la Vision africaine pour l’eau 2063 et de la politique (FIP 2026-33) afin de lancer les efforts visant à réaliser cette vision d’ici 2063. Et (ii) d’organiser, en marge de la réunion annuelle 2026 de la Banque africaine de développement, une conférence internationale sur le financement de la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la Politique et du plan de mise en œuvre 2026-2033.
A demandé au Président de la Banque africaine de développement de faciliter l’organisation de la conférence internationale sur le financement de la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et de la Politique en marge des réunions annuelles de la Banque en 2026.
A en outre demandé à la Commission de l’UA de faciliter le lancement de la Vision africaine pour l’eau 2063 et de la politique lors de la 39^esession ordinaire de la Conférence des chefs d’État et de gouvernement africain en février 2026.
A demandé à la Commission de l’UA, en collaboration avec le Secrétariat de l’AMCOW et la Banque africaine de développement, d’organiser le lancement de la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la Politique et du Plan de mise en œuvre (2026-2033) lors de la Conférence internationale sur le financement qui se tiendra en marge des réunions annuelles de la BAD en 2026, dans le but de mobiliser des ressources.
A demandé aux États membres : (i) d’intégrer la Vision africaine de l’eau 2063 et la politique dans leurs cadres nationaux afin de faciliter leur mise en œuvre ; et (ii) de collaborer avec les communautés économiques régionales afin d’assurer la normalisation et l’harmonisation.

Nous avons clôturé le mois d’octobre par l’annonce de la nomination de l’AMCOW en tant que Coordinateur régional du 11^e Forum mondial de l’eau pour l’Afrique. Le Conseil mondial de l’eau a nommé des institutions chargées de coordonner les processus régionaux pour l’Afrique, les Amériques, les pays arabes ainsi que l’Asie et le Pacifique. Cette nomination s’est fondée sur une expérience avérée, une capacité de collaboration et un engagement fort en faveur de la promotion des perspectives régionales dans le dialogue mondial sur l’eau. L’AMCOW a toujours veillé à renforcer l’engagement de la CUA, de la BAD et des États membres ainsi que des partenaires dans la préparation de la série des Forums mondiaux de l’eau.

En novembre, en collaboration avec la Commission de l’Union africaine, par l’intermédiaire de la Direction de l’environnement durable et de l’économie bleue, nous avons convoqué la 6^eréunion de la Plateforme de coordination des partenaires africains pour l’eau et l’assainissement (PCP). La réunion a reçu des informations actualisées de la part des huit (8) co-responsables des différents groupes de travail sur les activités entreprises depuis la 5^esession ordinaire de la PCP. La réunion a examiné le projet de cadre d’action pour la mise en œuvre du thème de l’UA pour 2026 « Assurer la disponibilité durable de l’eau et des systèmes d’assainissement sûrs pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 ». Un calendrier des activités visant à commémorer le thème de l’UA pour 2026 a également été approuvé par les partenaires. L’un des principaux résultats de la PCP a été l’accord sur la création d’une équipe spéciale chargée de faciliter la formulation d’un projet de premier plan de mise en œuvre 2026-2033 pour la nouvelle Vision et politique africaine de l’eau 2063.

Enfin, en décembre, nous avons clôturé l’année en participant à différents événements de haut niveau aux niveaux continental et mondial. Il s’agit notamment du XIXe Congrès mondial de l’eau organisé par l’Association internationale des ressources en eau (IWRA) du 1er au 5 décembre à Marrakech, au Maroc, et du Congrès et salon international de l’eau et du développement 2025 de l’Association internationale de l’eau (IWA) du 8 au 12 décembre à Bangkok, en Thaïlande. L’AMCOW a profité de ces événements pour présenter et faire connaître la nouvelle Vision et politique africaine pour l’eau 2063.

Alors que l’année touche à sa fin, nous tenons à exprimer notre gratitude à la CUA, par l’intermédiaire de la Direction de l’environnement durable et de l’économie bleue, pour le leadership dont elle a fait preuve dans le processus d’élaboration de la nouvelle Vision et de la nouvelle Politique. Les réalisations de cette année sont le fruit du soutien considérable et des contributions inestimables de :

Leurs Excellences le Président, les Vice-présidents et les membres du Conseil des ministres.
les États membres qui ont fourni les données utilisées pour préparer les supports d’information et de connaissance partagés lors des événements organisés.
La Banque africaine de développement, par l’intermédiaire de la Facilité africaine de l’eau (FAE) ; La Commission économique des Nations unies pour l’Afrique ; Le Département d’État des États-Unis, par l’intermédiaire de l’USAID ; La Fondation Gates (GF) ; L’Union européenne et le ministère fédéral allemand du Développement économique et de la Coopération, par l’intermédiaire de la GIZ ; Le Fonds pour l’environnement mondial, par l’intermédiaire de la FAO et de l’IWMI ; Le Réseau africain de la société civile sur l’eau et l’assainissement (ANEW) ; Le Réseau AUDA-NEPAD des centres d’excellence dans le domaine de l’eau ; l’ambassade de Finlande en Zambie, l’Institut fédéral des géosciences et des ressources naturelles (BGR), la Commission du cours d’eau du Limpopo (LIMCOM), le Conseil national de l’approvisionnement en eau et de l’assainissement (NWASCO), SARO Agro Industrial Limited, SNV, Assainissement et eau pour tous (SWA), l’UNESCO, l’UNICEF, WaterAid ; Wonderful Group, la Banque commerciale nationale de Zambie (ZANACO), Zambia Sugar, la Commission du cours d’eau du Zambèze (ZAMCOM) et l’Autorité de l’eau du Zambèze (ZRA).

Nous attendons désormais avec impatience 2026, en commençant par les activités de l’Union visant à commémorer le thème de l’UA pour 2026 « Assurer la disponibilité durable de l’eau et des systèmes d’assainissement sûrs pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 ». La 39^eSession ordinaire de l’Assemblée prépare le terrain pour l’examen et l’adoption de la Vision africaine de l’eau et de la Politique. Alors que nous mettons en œuvre les activités prévues pour 2026, nous continuerons de compter sur le leadership et le soutien des États membres et sur la capacité collective avec nos partenaires pour parvenir à « une Afrique résiliente et en sécurité sur le plan de l’eau, avec un assainissement sûr pour tous ».

Je vous souhaite de joyeuses fêtes et une bonne année !

Secrétariat de l’AMCOW

By Genevieve Osuorji

NewsSpecial Messages

October 7, 2025

Tribute to Catarina de Albuquerque

AMCOW, a founding member of the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) global partnership, joins the global water and sanitation community in celebrating the life of Catarina de Albuquerque. Ms de Albuquerque devoted a good part of her life championing and mobilising political will in favour of water, sanitation and hygiene services provision.

Until her passing on 7 October 2025, she served as the Chief Executive Officer for SWA, the organisation she has worked with since 2014. She worked tirelessly to strengthen the partnership, providing strategic leadership compatible with its vision and high-level objectives.

In 2008, Ms. de Albuquerque was appointed the first UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. She played a pivotal role in the recognition of water and sanitation as human rights by the UN General Assembly in 2010. Her work helped ensure that the right to water and sanitation was incorporated into the language of the Sustainable Development Goals.

AMCOW extends deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all colleagues who had the honour of working with her.

May her soul rest in eternal peace.

By Genevieve Osuorji

Special Messages

February 9, 2025

AMCOW mourns the passing of His Excellency Dr Sam Nujoma, Father of the Nation and Founding President of the Republic Of Namibia

We convey the condolences of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) on the passing of the founding father of the Nation and president of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Dr Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma on 9 February 2025.

We join the people and the Government of the Republic of Namibia in mourning during this dark moment.

We will, forever, remember His Excellency’s dedication of his life to his people. He lived a remarkable life serving, from an early age, the people of the Republic of Namibia as a freedom fighter, revolutionary leader and the founding father of the Nation.

His extra-ordinary and exemplary leadership laid the foundations on which policies for sectors including water and sanitation were built and established for the benefit of the people of the Land of the Brave and beyond.

His legacy will always remind us of what it really means to apply the philosophy of ubuntu.

By Genevieve Osuorji

Special Messages

November 25, 2024

Speech Delivered by the AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, at the 8th Programme for Infrastrusture Development in Africa

Session title: Accelerating Preparation and Financing of Transboundary Water Projects: Bridging Capacity and Funding Gaps.
Keynote Address: Dr. Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary

Ladies and Gentlemen, the session title “Accelerating preparation and financing of transboundary water projects: Bridging capacity and funding gaps” could not be better fitting for where the water sector on the continent finds itself in this moment in time.
The demand for capacity development and improvements in financing transboundary water management is defined by the role water plays in Africa’s ambitions for economic growth and social transformation. These ambitions are espoused by the African Union Agenda 2063, a key priority area of which is assuring water security.
For this discussion, I use the 2013 UN Water definition of water security, which is developing the capacity “… to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water:

for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development,
for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and
for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability”.

In this context, our aspirations for growth and transformation are juxtaposed with the influence of water access and use on overall economic output. What emerges is that capacity and funding constraints in the water sector pose grave implications for the realisation of Africa’s development agenda. Challenges are invariably reported in:

preparation of bankable projects at all levels,
weak institutional capacities for project preparation,
inadequate private sector investments in water; and
the inadequacy of a compelling business case for investments in water that can catalyse sustained financing commensurate with Africa’s development ambitions.

The fundamentals of the required response can, therefore, be summarised into five key points as follows:

Promoting a new narrative on water that recognises the full potential of water in the economy to further Africa’s future development needs. This narrative should foster an appreciation of the vitality of water in economic growth; job creation; and industrialisation.
Strengthening the business case for water investments, as well as raising the profile of water in national and regional development planning in Africa. The economies of many countries in Africa are extremely vulnerable to climate variability and climate change as they are largely based on natural resources – water, land, energy, forests/ecosystems.
Insufficiency of investments to enhance human and institutional capacities; build infrastructure; and improve information systems to support water management exacerbate the difficulties. To overcome these challenges – and achieve the SDGs – it is imperative for governments, societies and the private sector to fully embrace the concept of environmental security. A paradigm shift in the approach to developing, utilising and managing Africa’s water and related resources is urgently required.
Water infrastructure development should be advocated for and promoted as a means to provide a service – which is water – to the economy in order to enable growth and development to happen. Water sector interventions, especially for such resource management functions as water storage and flood control, cannot therefore be designed and marketed from the perspective of ‘water sector development’. Rather, the approach to packaging them for investment should be centred on their eventual utility – from an economic perspective – in terms of providing water for food and energy production. This should be extended to the opportunities for employment and wealth creation: not to mention peace, social security, regional integration and political stability.
Strategies to improve the investment outlook for water and related resources development will also benefit from the application of the principles for valuing water. The principles provide a guideline for determining the real value of proposed investments; the associated costs; and the benefits that can be expected. In essence, they serve the purpose of improving the appreciation of the economics of water in a country, river basin or region. The application of the principles of valuing water – together with targeted interventions to catalyse change – holds promise for delivering sustainable solutions for assuring water for energy, food and environmental security in Africa.
There is an urgent need to apply integrated approaches – such as the Water-Energy-Food-and-Ecosystems nexus approach – to promote and facilitate investment led transboundary management and governance of water and environmental resources. The aim is to consolidate and capitalise on the achievements to-date of implementing the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management.
This is the background to the current drive, under the leadership of the African Union Commission, AMCOW and AUDA-NEPAD to revitalise implementation of the following ongoing initiatives:
i. establishing economic accounting for water as a discipline to, among others, improve the financing and investment outlook for water resources management in Africa;
ii. improving national-level capacities, including the use of earth observation and remote sensing methods, for collecting complete and reliable hydro-meteorological and piezometrical data in all of Africa’s 64 shared river basins;
iii. applying nexus perspective solutions to assure water, food and energy security in Africa;
iv. improving agricultural water management;
v. implementing the PIDA priority transboundary water and energy projects;
vi. enhancing use of wastewater and sludge, as appropriate and acceptable, for nutrient recovery in agriculture and bio-gas energy production;
vii. standardising regulatory frameworks for agricultural water management across Africa;
viii. developing and adopting legal, policy and institutional frameworks for the collection and treatment of wastewater to a minimum water quality standard before return to the environment; and,
ix. supporting Member States, R/LBOs and RECs to conduct water resources assessments as well as supporting them to monitor and manage groundwater use.
As an outcome from the 10th World Water Forum in May 2024 in Bali, Indonesia, Africa’s Common Position and Key Messages committed:
i. to align the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy to the African Union Agenda 2063 and make the principles of valuing water the backbone of the action framework for financing its actualisation; and,
ii. to invest in institutional and human capacity development focusing on integrated information systems to support science-based decision making for climate resilience in the water and sanitation sector.
At the 9th Africa Water Week in October 2024, in Cairo, Egypt, the water community agreed on the baseline for formulating the post-2025 Africa water vision and policy. This is contained in the 9th Africa Water Week Communique on “Placing Water and Sanitation at the Heart of Achieving Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
Going forward, a key milestone of the dialogue process to formulate the vision and policy will be to convene the third African Implementation and Partnership Conference (PANAFCON-3) scheduled for 27-29 May 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia. The conference will pave way for Member States and partners to review the initial draft of the vision and policy framework for assuring inclusive and climate resilient water security on the continent.
Let us all actively engage to ensure that that post-2025 Africa water vision and policy framework motivates action on bridging capacity and funding gaps in the water sector in Africa.

I wish you a productive discussion and thank you!

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By Obinna Anah

Special Messages

August 29, 2024

AMCOW Executive Secretary’s Remarks at the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) Launch

August 27^th, 2024

Stockholm, Sweden

Dr Rashid Mbaziira, AMCOW Executive Secretary

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen

I am honoured to address you at this official launch of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII). This new financing window of the African Water Facility (AWF) will address urban sanitation challenges in Africa.

It also marks a key milestone in the growth of the African Water Facility. Before I get into why it is such a key milestone, allow me to request a moment of silence in honour of the late Albert Diphoorn, who passed away earlier this month. He played a key role in formulating the Africa Water Vision 2025 and translating the idea of improving project preparation financing for water and sanitation into the Africa Water Facility, which is the growth we are celebrating today.

Back to the question of why this launch is such a key milestone in the growth of the African Water Facility: We only have to look at some of the statistics on sanitation and hygiene services provision in Africa to appreciate the significance of this investment initiative.

Information from our Africa Water and Sanitation Sector monitoring system indicates that:

as we approach the final milestone year of the Africa Water Vision 2025, and with
less than five years to 2030, the target year of the sustainable development agenda:
- 400 million people in Africa do not have access to potable water;
- over 800 million people lack access to safely managed sanitation and basic hygiene services; and,
- nearly 18% of the population still practice open defecation.

Narrowing the focus to urban areas, which are actually better served than rural areas, over 50% of our rapidly growing population living in these centres of development either:

lacks adequate sanitation services coverage; or,
does not have access to sanitation services of any kind.

That translates into an estimated annual economic cost of US $40 to $50 billion resulting from sanitation failures! Imagining the difference $40-50 billion per annum would make in Africa’s fight against poverty gives an idea of why assuring delivery of inclusive, sustainable and resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services to the entire population on the continent is a fundamental pillar of AMCOW’s work.

More importantly, I will discuss how that would impact the quality of life we aspire for at the grassroots level. In essence, poverty alleviation, food and energy security, as well as the SDGs target for education and health, sustainable cities and communities will not be possible to meet without water security and sustainable sanitation and hygiene services provision.

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen; I may be preaching to the converted, but it does not hurt to highlight that sanitation is a fundamental human right that is critical to public health, environmental sustainability and overall well-being. Especially for women and girls, the lack of access to sanitation and hygiene services is undignified. And as I say that, I am all too aware that inasmuch as appealing to the moral high ground raises passions for this cause, it is communicating this at the same wavelength as what it takes to invest in bringing about dignity that will move the needle.

It is also in this context that Ministers and Heads of Delegations responsible for water, sanitation, hygiene and related affairs in Africa – during the AfricaSan7 Conference held in Swakopmund, Namibia – committed to revitalising the pursuit of the targets of the Ngor declaration through promoting “Accelerated Actions for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Sanitation and Hygiene Services Delivery in Africa”.

The commitment of the Member States to deliver on this promise is undeniable as captured in the 2023 AfricaSan Ngor report based on self-assessments from 40 Member States. Our leadership considers sanitation a fundamental issue that touches on the basics of our societies. It is also an issue that requires genuine and continued attention to address urgent needs and, in particular, articulate the sanitation economy as a key first step to raising the profile of sanitation in national systems for economic planning.

Against this background, the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative is a landmark for the African Water Facility, and for water resources management in Africa in general to accelerate the progress to change the aforementioned statistics.

To date, the Facility has mobilised more than €205 million in grant funding to support the preparation of 135 water and sanitation projects in 52 AU member states.

This funding support leveraged over €1.6 billion in downstream investment in the water and sanitation sectors. As a result, at least an additional 14 million people now have access to a safe water supply.

Over the next decade, the Facility aims to provide 15 million people with safely managed sanitation services through 50 projects while attracting more than €6 billion in additional investments.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative AUSII represents one of the measures being instituted to translate these ambitions into the targeted outcomes. And for this we salute the leadership of the African Water Facility, the African Development Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation for driving forward this ground-breaking initiative.

The Member States of AMCOW fully support the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative. And what better way to demonstrate this than by injecting new approaches to increase domestic allocations to the sector. This is a key priority in ongoing efforts to formulate an Africa Water Vision and Policy framework for assuring inclusive and climate-resilient water security on the continent. Member States both acknowledge with appreciation and urge continued support and commitment from the Facility’s funding partners and stakeholders to fully operationalise the initiative.

We thank you and look forward to welcoming you in October 2024 to Cairo for the 9^th Africa Water Week and during which the second AUSII launch will take place.

Thank you

By Obinna Anah

VA – Launch of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative _600x400

Press ReleaseSpecial Messages

August 23, 2024

African Water Facility to launch new financing window for urban sanitation in Africa

What: Launch of the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative

Who: African Development Bank Group, African Water Facility, and Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP)

When: 27 August 2024; 10:00 – 14:00 CET

Where: In-person and virtual, at the 2024 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden. Register here

On the sidelines of the Stockholm World Water Week and together with the African Union’s AIP International High-Level Panel on Water Investments For Africa, the African Water Facility will launch the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII).

The Facility, hosted by the African Development Bank Group, is the only project preparation and promotion facility solely dedicated to water and sanitation in Africa. The Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative will function as a new financing window for urban sanitation within the African Water Facility, addressing the sanitation challenges in African cities.

Despite sanitation being a fundamental human right, critical to public health, environmental sustainability, and overall well-being, Africa has one of the lowest access rates in the world. An estimated 779 million people on the continent lack basic sanitation services, 208 million still practice open defecation, and 839 million lack basic hygiene services. The African Development Bank estimates that every year, the number of people without access to urban sanitation increases by more than 10 million due to rapid population growth.

The African Water Facility will, through the new sanitation financing window, mobilise and deploy financing, prepare bankable and investment-ready projects, and implement innovative and inclusive approaches such as the city-wide inclusive sanitation approach, which promotes tailor-made sanitation solutions for neighbourhoods and cities. Over the next ten years, the Facility aims to provide 15 million people with safely managed sanitation services through 50 projects and attract $7 billion in additional investments.

The launch is open to African water ministers and representatives of donor institutions, observers, partners, development finance institutions, regional and river basin organisations, the private sector, and the media.

Speakers:

Dr Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development at the African Development Bank Group
Carl-Hermann Gustav Schlettwein, Minister for Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Namibia, and Chair of the African Water Facility Governing Council
Dr Rashid Mbaziira, Executive Secretary, African Ministers Council on Water
Ms. Satu Santalla, Managing Director, Nordic Development Fund
Jumaa Aweso, Minister of Water and Irrigation, Tanzania
Ravokatra Fidiniavo, Minister of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Madagascar
Jeff Goldberg, Director, Center for Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene, USAID
Anton Jantunen, Sanitation and Hygiene Markets Specialist, United Nations Sanitation and Hygiene Fund
Ms. Tina Kollerup Hansen, Senior Vice President, Danida Sustainable Infrastructure Finance, Denmark Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU)

Simultaneous interpretation in French and English will be provided.

Click here to register.

Media Enquiry

We invite enquiries from the media on the launch of this initiative and its ambition to improve access to urban sanitation in Africa. To speak with our line-up of experts and spokespersons virtually or at the 2024 World Water Week, please contact:

Mary Ajayi, Water and Sanitation Development Department; Communication and External Relations Department: media@afdb.org

By Obinna Anah

Special Messages

August 16, 2024

A Tribute to Africa’s Water and Sanitation Agenda Champion and Supporter – Albert Diphoorn

It is with profound sadness that the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) joins the global water community in celebrating the life of Albert Diphoorn. He was a champion and supporter of Africa’s water agenda. Born in Hoogeveen on 24th April 1953, Albert, known affectionately as Bert, passed away on 9th August 2024, leaving an impressive legacy of dedication, commitment and passion to the water and sanitation sector at various levels.

For the African water community, Albert Diphoorn was not just a colleague; he was a visionary leader and a driving force behind many of the critical water-related initiatives that have shaped the African continent. Bert’s contributions to the water sector can be traced to his early days with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MinBuza). He was one of the key architects of the World Water Visioning process leading up to the 2^nd World Water Forum in the Hague in 2000. He supported in this context the formulation of the Africa Water Vision 2025, a blueprint that continues to guide the continent’s water and sanitation agenda. He also played a role in establishing AMCOW to provide political guidance in implementing the African Water Vision 2025.

In defining Africa’s priorities in the water sector in the lead-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002, Bert, as a member of the African Water Task Force (AWTF) proposed the need for the African Water Facility (AWF) to provide financing and technical assistance to African states to facilitate access to the major funds especially MFIs through improved capacity in project preparation, feasibility studies and pilot programs which could be scaled up.

He not only contributed immensely to the conceptualization of the Facility but lobbied for seed funding and establishment within the African Development Bank. He saw its implementation as the first Coordinator of the AWF when he was detached to the AfDB solely for that purpose, which he successfully completed, ensuring that its governance structure had equal representation from AMCOW and the Development Partners. As the Facility grows with national-level water resilience projects all over Africa, it is worth noting that Bert’s enthusiasm, dedication and negotiation skills were fundamental for its success.

Bert’s contributions to the early work programmes of AMCOW were also notable. He lobbied hard for funding for early events such as the Africa Village at the WaterDome at the WSSD in Johannesburg, PANAFCON I in Addis Ababa and the World Water Fora in Kyoto, Mexico City and Istanbul. Technical products such as the African Water Development Reporting process and African Water Journal, which was done under the aegis of AMCOW in collaboration with UN-Water/Africa, could not have been done without Bert’s support in lobbying for funding through the UN-Water/Africa Trust, Fund channelled through UNECA. Similarly, his passion and support for the African Water Week series are memorable.

To political leaders and technical experts, Bert was an additional strategic voice and served as a mentor, a friend, and a steadfast advocate for Africa’s water and sanitation sector. As we commemorate the impactful life he led, his story will continue to remind us of the power of dedication and collaboration towards achieving the water and sanitation goals.

As we recall the contributions of Albert Diphoorn to the water and sanitation sector, allow us to extend our deepest condolences to his family (Wilma, Tim, Luuk and Tessa), friends, and all those who had the honour of working alongside him.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

AMCOW

By Obinna Anah

Special Messages

May 23, 2024

Advancing Resilient WASH Services in Africa

10th World Water Forum: Bali, Indonesia – May 21, 2024

From 4:40 to 6:10 PM on 21 May, the 10th World Water Forum continued its critical discussions at the Africa Pavilion with a session titled “Sustained Provision of Access to Universal Resilient WASH Services.” AMCOW, WaterAid, the Kingdom of Morocco, and Mozambique convened the session in Kintamani 1.

The session tackled the pressing challenges of delivering sustainable and resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across Africa and shared existing solutions from various member countries. The linkages between climate change and sanitation service provision were discussed, and national approaches to achieving sustainable access to WASH services were explored. It was clear that delivering sustainable and resilient WASH services is an immense challenge in Africa, requiring solutions beyond mere infrastructure coverage.

The main topics covered include a) Financing the Water and Sanitation Sector: Discussions focused on the financial challenges and potential solutions for funding WASH infrastructure. b) Encouraging Treatment and Wastewater Reduction: Strategies to mitigate climate change impacts through effective wastewater management were explored. c) Strengthening Institutions and Policies: The importance of robust regulatory frameworks and national policies to support sustainable WASH services was emphasised.

Challenges identified were:

Financing WASH Infrastructure: The need for substantial investment in WASH infrastructure remains a significant hurdle.
Weak Implementation of National Commitments: Many countries struggle to implement their WASH commitments effectively.
Inadequate Capacity for Bankable Proposals: There is a lack of capacity to develop proposals that attract the necessary funding.

During the discussions, the panellists proposed domesticating continental declarations by incorporating them into national action plans to ensure local relevance and impact. Another solution underscored was prioritising national agendas in countries’ strategic papers to attract financing from multilateral organisations.

Some attendees sought clarity on how communities in poor areas can access funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB). Others inquired why progress in WASH access is slow despite numerous conferences, declarations, and commitments, as well as the specific areas that the post-2025 Africa Water Vision will include to improve sustainable WASH services.

Key takeaway actions include prioritising financing for WASH services in the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and strengthening the policy environment for WASH. This includes policy development, regulatory frameworks, institutional reforms, and developing concrete national priorities in collaboration with finance ministries to attract funding.

By Obinna Anah

Special Messages

May 22, 2024

Water and Water Infrastructure Key to Sustainable Development

Bali, Indonesia – May 21, 2024:

Another significant session titled “Water and Water Infrastructure for Development: Paving the Path for Water Security and Sustainable Development” took place from 1:00 to 2:30 PM in Kintamani 2. The session, convened by AUDA-NEPAD, the World Bank, UNESCO, and the Republic of Benin, brought together experts and policymakers to address the critical issues surrounding climate-resilient water infrastructure.

The session aimed to gather water management professionals, planners, policymakers, and academics to review experiences, identify gaps, and explore solutions for climate-resilient water infrastructure development. Also, it will strengthen approaches to project preparation, coordination, and capacity building and convene representatives from West African governments, river basin organisations (RBOs), regional organisations, and international bodies.

Key areas discussed include:

WASH Services Access: The increasing number of people lacking access to water and sanitation due to population growth necessitates a corresponding increase in infrastructure development.
Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Emphasizing the need to incorporate climate resilience into infrastructure design from the outset to avoid the cycle of building and rebuilding.
CRIDA Tool: Introduction of the Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis Tool (CRIDA) by UNESCO, a peer-reviewed methodology aiding in creating climate-proof water infrastructure.

The main topics covered in the projected population increase are putting significant pressure on existing infrastructure and the necessity of transitioning to climate-resilient infrastructure; AUDA-NEPAD’s pivotal role is in supporting regional economic communities (RECs) with capacity building in project preparation and resource mobilisation.

The session identified the need for climate-proof water infrastructure investments and the persistent capacity-building issue to prepare bankable projects, innovative solutions, and best practices. They presented the following solutions:

Carbon Markets: Exploring carbon markets as an innovative financing mechanism for infrastructure while understanding the trade-offs involved.
CRIDA Methodology: Utilizing the CRIDA tool to incorporate climate resilience in the design and planning of water infrastructure projects.

During the session, the participants asked two crucial questions, including:

How can countries better integrate climate resilience into their infrastructure planning?
What are the trade-offs when using carbon markets to finance water projects?

Participants suggested enhancing regional cooperation to share knowledge on best practices and improve transparency and accountability in implementing water infrastructure projects.

Agreed Actions

Participants suggested developing actionable strategies to incorporate climate resilience in all new infrastructure projects. They also agreed to focus on capacity building to ensure that projects are bankable and attract necessary investments. Overall, the session spotlighted the urgency of incorporating climate resilience into water infrastructure projects to ensure sustainable development in Africa. It highlighted the critical need for capacity building and innovative financing mechanisms to address the challenges of climate change and population growth.

By Obinna Anah

Contacts

Category: Special Messages

2025 END-OF-YEAR MESSAGE FROM AMCOW PRESIDENT

Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye

MESSAGE DE FIN D'ANNÉE 2025 DU PRÉSIDENT DE L'AMCOW

Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye

Season’s Greetings and Recap of AMCOW’s Efforts in 2025

Tribute to Catarina de Albuquerque

AMCOW mourns the passing of His Excellency Dr Sam Nujoma, Father of the Nation and Founding President of the Republic Of Namibia

Speech Delivered by the AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr Rashid Mbaziira, at the 8th Programme for Infrastrusture Development in Africa

AMCOW Executive Secretary’s Remarks at the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) Launch

African Water Facility to launch new financing window for urban sanitation in Africa

A Tribute to Africa’s Water and Sanitation Agenda Champion and Supporter – Albert Diphoorn

Advancing Resilient WASH Services in Africa

Water and Water Infrastructure Key to Sustainable Development

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