Water must move to the forefront of climate and finance discussions, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday. Opening the African Union Water Investment Summit, Ramaphosa outlined four summit goals, including scaling up investments to improve governance and accountability in the water sector.
The summit also aims to showcase 80 priority investment projects from 38 countries and facilitate connections among governments, financiers, and partners. Ramaphosa stressed water should not be an afterthought, but a driver of economic transformation, innovation, and peace across the continent.
He called for a world where water is recognised as a human right, rather than a tool used against women, children, and communities. Three-day summit participants include African leaders, global policymakers, and officials, all pressing for tangible action on water security and climate adaptation.
Nardos Bekele-Thomas, executive secretary of the African Union Development Agency, warned Africa loses $200 billion annually due to insufficient water investments and climate impacts. She highlighted Lake Chad’s dramatic 90% reduction in source water, urging immediate implementation rather than strategy discussions.
Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko warned Southern Africa could face severe water stress by 2040 without proactive measures and cooperation among river-sharing nations. Boko emphasised ongoing transboundary water engagements with Zambia and Namibia, citing the importance of international collaboration for security and sustainable management.
King Mswati III of Eswatini urged Africa to invest in water preservation projects, warning the continent’s warming climate is reducing rainfall dangerously fast. The summit seeks to place water at the highest levels of political and financial agendas, from G20 and COP30 to the UN 2026 water conference.
