Bridging the financing gap is a prerequisite to achieve sustainable development; social transformation; and economic growth in Africa. It is, therefore, critical to make a business case for the water and sanitation economy as an essential success factor of national fiscal policy. In addition, assurances are sorely needed to boost investors’ confidence in overcoming the political and other non-commercial risks with which investments in the water and sanitation sector in Africa are perceived and or associated. Furthermore, supporting effective project preparation is critical to mobilise resources, unlock sector financing, and implement urgently needed water infrastructure.

Key topics:

i. Water accounting and valuing water

ii. Water as an asset class

iii. Water stewardship for economic growth and environmental and societal protection

iv. Equitable tariff strategies to improve (re)allocation and access

v. Innovative financing and investment mechanisms

As climate disasters increasingly threaten critical infrastructure, water systems are especially exposed, with cascading community impacts. Cost-effective climate adaptation requires community-based approaches that harness local knowledge and capacities. Solutions should demonstrate the interconnectedness between climate impacts on water systems and communities, while expanding inclusive, locally driven adaptation strategies.  The need cannot be overemphasised to promote integrated approaches that assure provision of sustainable and resilient water and sanitation services.  This includes functionality of climate resilient WASH and wastewater services and systems.

Key topics:

i. Climate resilient WASH services

ii. Sustainable WASH services

iii. Wastewater management

iv. Integrated urban water management

v. Enabling environment for accelerated WASH service delivery including (governance, financing, data and information, innovation, knowledge and capacity development)

Assuring water security and reliability in Africa through both natural storage and risk-informed infrastructure is critical to economic production; climate resilience; and disaster risk reduction. The goal is to increase Africa’s water storage capacity and enhance water-related disaster risk management capabilities

Key topics:

i. Water for economic production: energy, agriculture, industry

ii. Risk informed infrastructure (transboundary) development and management

iii. Data, climate forecasting and disaster risk reduction

iv. Climate change and early warning for all

v. Earth-observation approaches to solving complex water challenges

Good water governance through collaborative establishment of transboundary water institutions is key to realise the development potential of Africa’s water resources. Shared watercourses create interdependencies that catalyse cooperation and play a crucial role in supporting livelihoods, ecosystems, and economic activities across the continent. Yet, water resources on the continent are characterised by spatial and temporal variability and are unevenly developed. This has implications for the management of the resource especially to balance and meet competing water needs for economy, people and ecosystems in the face of climate variability and change.

Key topics:

i. Integrated approaches to managing and protecting water resources: sustainable conjunctive development, management and utilisation of surface and ground water resources

ii. Water quality and ecosystems management

iii. Enabling environment and institutional frameworks in a changing environment

iv. Management instruments

v. Cooperation on shared watercourses

Effective water management, in these circumstances, requires diverse sets of data on the availability, spatial and temporal distribution, and variability of water quantity, water quality and water use. A lot more data than just the traditional hydro-meteorological datasets are required for making informed water management decisions. By contrast, a worrisome trend is noted of a decline in data collection networks in Africa. Insufficiency of data on water and related resources has major implications on climate-proofing of investments in resource development. Similarly, sustainability of resource utilisation and effectiveness of resource management interventions is called into question. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop human and institutional capacity across board to ensure collection, analysis and management of reliable data and information. Implementation of measures to assure social inclusion and a human rights-based approach to water and sanitation services provision similarly require a high level of social and adaptive capacity.

Key topics:

i. Digital technologies and innovations for enhanced decision making

ii. Indigenous knowledge systems

iii. Institutional development and effectiveness

iv. Human capacity development

v. Partnership in information systems for water resources management.

Underpinned by the commitment to leave no one behind; this sub-theme will facilitate discussions on the central role of gender and social inclusion in fostering to influence sustainable, effective and efficient outcomes for water resources management and access to water supply, sanitation and hygiene services. The sub-theme will showcase transformative approaches and pathways to catalyse meaningful change, and ensure interventions are responsive to the population’s diverse needs

Key topics:

i. Water crisis, gender equality and social inclusion

ii. Mainstreaming youth in the water and sanitation sector

iii. Socially inclusive and just water management

iv. Leaving no one behind

v. Achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services