Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, H.E. Clavier Gatete

His Excellency Hon. Minister of Hydraulic and Energy, Republic of Congo, H.E. Bruno Richard Itoua

His Excellency Hon Minister of Urban Sanitation, Local development and Road Maintenance, Republic of Congo H.E. Juste Desire Mondele

Dr. Martin Fregene, OiC Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, AHVP

Distinguished Representative of Financing Institutions and Development Partners Dr. Tshepelayi Kabata, Director Private sector, BADEA and Mr. Farai Seseko, Investment Director, Africa 50

Acting Executive Secretary and Program Director, AMCOW, Nelson Gomonda,

Director Mtchera Chirwa, Director for Water Development and Sanitation Department at AfDB

Representatives of UN Agencies, Development and Implementing Partners

Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honour and privilege to join you today at this important high-level dialogue on financing Africa’s water, sanitation, and hygiene sector. We gather at a defining moment for our Continent, a moment that calls not only for increased investment, but also for a fundamental shift in how we value water and sanitation within Africa’s development and economic transformation agenda.

Permit me, from the outset, to express our sincere appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic of Congo for hosting this important engagement alongside the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group. We also extend our deep gratitude to the African Water Facility, AMCOW, and all partners for convening this strategic platform at such a critical time for Africa’s water and sanitation sector.

Today, Africa is sending a strong political message to the world. Through the declaration of the AU Theme of the Year 2026 — “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. Our Heads of State and Government have elevated water and sanitation to the highest political level across the Continent. This declaration recognizes that water is not merely a social sector issue. Water is a strategic economic asset. Sanitation is not only about infrastructure; it is about dignity, public health, human capital, productivity, resilience, and sustainable development.

Excellencies,

For far too long, investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene have been assessed primarily through narrow financial metrics and short-term commercial returns. Yet the true return on investment in WASH extends far beyond direct revenue streams.

Investment in water and sanitation generates returns through healthier populations, reduced disease burden, improved school attendance, enhanced productivity, food security, industrial growth, climate resilience, environmental protection, regional stability, and reduced humanitarian costs. Every dollar invested in water and sanitation strengthens economies, protects ecosystems, creates jobs, empowers women and girls, and safeguards the future of our communities. I URGE THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK and others to look returns on investment through this matrix.

There is an African proverb which reminds us that: “When the wells are dry, we know the worth of water.” This wisdom speaks directly to the urgency before us today. Africa cannot afford to wait for deeper crises before recognizing the full value of investing in water security and safe sanitation systems.

We therefore need to fundamentally re-examine how we define “bankability” in the water sector.

The question before us should not only be whether water investments generate immediate financial profit. The real question is: what is the cost to Africa of continued underinvestment in water security and safe sanitation?

Today, over 400 million Africans still lack access to basic drinking water services, while nearly 700 million lack adequate sanitation and hygiene services. These gaps continue to undermine economic growth, public health, education outcomes, climate adaptation, and social stability across our Continent.

At the same time, Africa faces a massive financing gap. Estimates indicate that between US$ 30 to 50 billion annually is required to achieve SDG 6 targets by 2030, while current annual investments remain significantly below this threshold.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The challenge before us is therefore not simply about mobilizing more money. It is about transforming the enabling environment for investment. It is about strengthening governance systems, improving project preparation, de-risking investments, enhancing institutional accountability, and positioning water and sanitation as foundational drivers of economic transformation and continental resilience.

In this regard, the African Union Commission, together with partners, continues to advance important continental initiatives, including the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063, the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) and ongoing efforts to support Member States in developing climate-resilient and investment-ready water programmes and water scorecard that supports members states to identify and address investment bottlenecks.

These initiatives demonstrate that Africa is not short of vision, political commitment, or investment opportunities. What is urgently needed now is collective action to accelerate implementation at scale.

If Africa is to achieve Agenda 2063, industrialize sustainably, strengthen food systems, create jobs for its growing youth population, and build resilience against climate change, then investment in water and sanitation can no longer remain peripheral — it must become central to our development financing architecture.

As I conclude, allow me to make a strong appeal to the African Development Bank Group, the African Water Facility, development finance institutions, bilateral and multilateral partners, private sector actors, and all stakeholders gathered here today to align their support, financing instruments, and investment portfolios towards accelerating the implementation of the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063, strengthening national systems, preparing bankable programmes, expanding climate-resilient infrastructure, and supporting Member States to close the widening water and sanitation access gap across the Continent.

The time for incremental action has passed. The scale of the challenge before us requires bold investment, political courage, innovative financing, and collective continental action.

With these remarks, and on behalf of the African Union Commission, I wish you fruitful deliberations and productive engagements, and I now have the honour to officially declare this high-level event on  Financing the Water and Sanitation Investment in Africa open.

I thank you for your kind attention.