The African Union (AU) Commission has called for a radical overhaul in how the continent finances water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), warning that persistent underinvestment severely jeopardises Africa’s long-term development.<\/p>\n
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Speaking at a high-level dialogue alongside the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment stated that water and sanitation infrastructure must be treated as strategic economic drivers rather than mere social services.<\/p>\n
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Vilakati highlighted that the AU’s 2026 theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” reflects a growing political consensus. However, the scale of the challenge remains immense: more than 400 million Africans currently lack access to basic drinking water, while nearly 700 million live without adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities.<\/p>\n
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To bridge this gap and meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (safe water and sanitation for all) by 2030, the AU estimates that Africa requires an investment of between $30 billion and $50 billion annually, a figure that vastly outstrips current funding levels.<\/p>\n
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Underscoring the economic stakes, the AfDB’s Martin Fregene noted that water security is the foundational bedrock for continental agriculture, energy, industrialisation, and public health. In response to the crisis, Fregene announced a revamped strategy for the African Water Facility, designed to unlock fresh financing partnerships and fast-track the development of investment-ready water projects across the continent.<\/p>\n
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