Africa Water Investment Summit Catalyses Global Commitment to Financing Africa’s Water Future
CAPE TOWN, 15th August, 2025 – The path toward closing Africa’s water investment gap saw renewed momentum as senior leaders and stakeholders gathered at the Africa Water Investment Summit in Cape Town. The high-level session, titled “Financing Africa’s Water Future: Catalysing Investment and Partnerships on the Road to the 2026 UN Water Conference,” was co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal—joint hosts of the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference—alongside strategic partners including AUDA-NEPAD, the Children Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Global Water Partnership (GWP), and the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC).
Over three days, Heads of State, ministers, major development finance institutions, private investors, project developers, and civil society representatives worked to address the staggering US$6.7 trillion global investment shortfall for climate-resilient water infrastructure by 2030, ballooning to US$22.6 trillion by 2050. Despite the urgent need, Africa mobilises only $10–19 billion annually for water infrastructure of its targeted $30 billion—spotlighting the imperative for innovative financing models and robust public–private–philanthropic partnerships.
With South Africa’s G20 Presidency providing international impetus, the summit sought to mobilise climate-resilient water and sanitation investments across Africa to support water security, economic growth, and sustainable development. This event marked a vital milestone on the road to the 2026 UN Water Conference, following consensus last month on six interactive dialogue themes—particularly spotlighting “Investments for water: Financing, technology and innovation, and capacity building.”
The session’s co-hosts foregrounded the necessity of strong political will to accelerate water investment locally and globally. Abdulla Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, stated,
“With all 193 Member States having just agreed last month, by consensus, on the themes for the 2026 UN Water Conference, the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit comes at exactly the right moment. It is a vital platform to advance one of those priorities — ‘Investments for Water’ — by driving the financing, innovation, and partnerships needed to deliver results for Africa and the world.”
Underscoring Africa’s future, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, argued:
“Affordable and reliable water access is the foundation upon which Africa’s prosperity will be built.”
He further remarked,
“At AUDA-NEPAD, we see every investment in water as an investment in health, stability, and economic growth. We continue building strong partnerships and unlocking innovative finance, to turn Africa’s vast demand and potential into tangible solutions that safeguard communities today and create sustainable futures for generations to come.”
Discussions then pivoted to four core themes:
- Showcasing scalable financing models such as blended finance, concessional loans, and guarantees specifically tailored for water infrastructure;
- Identifying policy, regulatory and technical barriers that hinder private investment and proposing solutions to de-risk projects;
- Improving project bankability and readiness through standardized metrics, transparency, and data aggregation platforms;
- Shaping the “Investments for Water” theme ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference to focus on financing, technology, and capacity-building.
On the design of investment mechanisms, Richard Matikanya, Deputy Executive Director of CIFF Africa, commented:
“To close the water financing gap in Africa, it is essential that we design investment mechanisms alongside African governments.”
He stressed the importance of aligning priorities:
“When national priorities shape the agenda from the outset, capital flows to the projects with the greatest need and the strongest local support. This is how we ensure lasting impact.”
Mercedes Vela Monserrate, CEO of GCFC, looked ahead, stating:
“GCFC is honoured to be supporting on the water finance track for the 2026 UN Water Conference.”
She explained,
“In the lead-up to the Conference, we will translate today’s dialogue into actionable steps that mobilise private and philanthropic capital and deliver water solutions across Africa and other emerging markets.”
The UAE and Senegal leveraged the session to gather stakeholder perspectives on concrete recommendations to accelerate water investments, with the intention of showcasing these collective solutions at the 2026 UN Water Conference. The event’s inclusive and transparent approach is set to inform deliverables that set the stage for a more secure and prosperous water future for Africa.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
