African leaders and Senior Officials meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, are calling for a fundamental shift in how the continent approaches water and sanitation.
They say governments need to move beyond short-term infrastructure projects and focus on building sustainable systems that can provide reliable services over the long term.
The call was made during the Africa Water and Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium, being held at the Kigali Convention Centre in the capital Kigali.
Opening the discussions, Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure, Damien Murwanashyaka, said Rwanda is honoured to host the continental gathering at a time when water and sanitation are receiving renewed political attention across Africa.
He emphasised that the issue goes far beyond the provision of basic services.
Murwanashyaka said Africa continues to face major gaps in access, service quality, financing and institutional capacity.
He argued that the continent must now move beyond simply constructing infrastructure and instead focus on building systems that are reliable, affordable, safe, resilient and sustainable.
–ChannelAfrica–
