Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 29 April 2026 - Africa must place water security and sanitation at the centre of its development, industrialization, climate resilience and regional integration agenda, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Claver Gatete, said today.
Setting the tone at a High-level session on Clean Water and Sanitation, held during the 12th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, Mr. Gatete said water must be understood not only as a basic human need, but as critical economic infrastructure.
“Water is life. But water is also economic infrastructure,” he said, noting that water underpins health, food systems, energy production, industrialization, resilient cities and regional integration.
The meeting, held under the theme “Turning the Tide: Transformative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063,” brought together ministers, senior officials, development partners, civil society, youth organizations and private sector representatives to review progress and identify priorities for accelerating implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6. The session, moderated by Cosmas Ochieng, ECA’s director for climate change and natural resources also benefited from a presentation on the Africa Water Vision. The Vision underscores the need for a structural approach to financing and translating commitments into concrete outcomes.
Mr. Gatete welcomed progress made since 2015, noting that nearly 300 million Africans have gained access to basic drinking water and close to 190 million to basic sanitation. However, he warned that these gains mask persistent structural gaps, with only 40 per cent of Africans having access to safely managed drinking water and just 30 per cent to safely managed sanitation.
“In 2024, over 200 million people still practised open defecation, with severe consequences for health, dignity and productivity,” he said.
The Executive Secretary stressed that water insecurity is no longer a stand-alone challenge, but a systemic risk affecting food systems, energy security, urban development, industrial production and social stability. He said weak water and sanitation services strain health systems, undermine education outcomes, erode human capital formation and constrain Africa’s ambitions for clean energy and industrial development.
“Africa’s industrial future hinges on first securing its water base,” Mr. Gatete said, adding that hydropower, thermal energy, green hydrogen, agro-processing, mining and manufacturing all depend on reliable water systems.
He also warned that rapid urbanization is placing additional pressure on already stretched water and sanitation infrastructure. Many African cities, he said, are expanding faster than they can provide safe services, particularly in informal settlements, where poor sanitation increases health risks and economic vulnerability.
Climate change is further intensifying the challenge through more frequent droughts, floods and hydrological variability. Mr. Gatete warned that freshwater ecosystems are being degraded, wastewater remains largely untreated, and water stress is rising across many regions of the continent.
He emphasized that the core challenge is not only scarcity, but the continued undervaluing of water in economic planning and investment decisions. Africa requires about US$64 billion annually to achieve water security and universal sanitation, yet current investment levels remain far below what is needed.
To accelerate progress, Mr. Gatete outlined four priority actions. First, African countries must elevate water as economic infrastructure by integrating it into energy strategies, industrial policies, urban planning and climate action frameworks. Second, they must close the financing gap through stronger domestic resource mobilization, blended finance, green and blue bonds, and well-structured public-private partnerships.
Third, he called for climate-resilient and circular water solutions, including wastewater treatment, reuse and nature-based approaches that protect ecosystems while creating jobs. Fourth, he urged countries to move from ambition to delivery through coordinated, large-scale implementation supported by strong institutions, accurate data and modern digital tools.
Mr. Gatete welcomed the African Union’s 2026 theme and the Africa Water Vision 2063, saying they rightly position water as vital for transformation, resilience and peace. He added that cooperation on Africa’s more than 60 transboundary river basins can help advance regional integration, peace and collective resilience.
He reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to supporting member States in transforming water into a driver of inclusive growth, resilience and shared prosperity, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063.
For his part, Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Economy and Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union, said that Africa has expanded access to improve drinking water services, particularly in urban areas; however, challenges persist in safely managing water supply, especially in rural areas and informal settlements.
“When heads of state and government take ownership of the water agenda, it moves beyond a sectoral concern to become a national development priority central to health, food security, energy, climate resilience, economic growth and peace,” he said.
African Development Bank’s Christopher Mutasa highlighted the need for countries to strengthen public-private partnerships to improve water infrastructure. In addition, blended financing, he said, can contribute to crowding in resources for upskilling professionals and strengthening effective water management.
Dirk Kotze, Mayor of Mossel Bay, South Africa, provided insights into the gains made in water and sanitation efforts, including the provision of clean portable water in his Municipality. “Trust is earned and it can be measured. It is measured through elections. If affordable, sustainable basic services are delivered on a continuous basis to all communities, trust is earned.
Beatrice Anywar, Uganda’s Minister of State for Environment, emphasised the country’s use of data for transboundary cooperation for the responsible management of shared water resources.
For his part, Lt. Gen. Bashir Mohamed Jama Minister of Environment and Climate Change for the Federal Government of Somalia, shared insights on climate action, water security, green growth, building resilience, protecting the environment, and collaboration with regional partners.
“This is no time for isolated actions,” Mr. Gatete told the gathering. “Given that water connects our economies, our cities and our societies, we cannot afford to treat it as anything less than a priority for Africa’s development future."
Issued by:
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Economic Commission for Africa
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Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
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