Global leaders and heads of State from Africa and the global north have called for urgent investment into Africa’s water and sanitation sector.

At least $30-billion a year is required to achieve water security on the continent by 2030; however, only $10-billion to $19-billion is invested each year, which cannot sustain the food production, sanitation and industrialisation needs of the continent’s rapidly growing population.

Currently, more than 300-million Africans do not have access to clean drinking water and over 700-million live without access to good sanitation.

“There is therefore a need to close the gap by intensifying advocacy and, above all, action,” said Senegal President Macky Sall at the inauguration of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa during the Heads of State High-Level Implementation Summit of the twenty-seventh iteration of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on November 8.

“Without action, climate change will make water shortages worse and lead to more food insecurity, disease burden, human displacement and conflict, and obstruct the continent’s economic development.”

The panel aims to drive global political mobilisation and international commitment to water investment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa.

The panel will develop a high-level report and investment plan for the 2023 United Nations (UN) Water Conference, and for African Union heads of States, with pathways and recommendations for African countries on how to mobilise resources to close the water investment gap in Africa.

“At least $30-billion a year is required to meet the SDG 6 on water and sanitation, and innovative sources of funding will be required, as well as strengthening governance and the capacity of institutional structures to ensure their efficient use,” said Sall.

Co-chaired by Sall, Namibian President Hage Geingob and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, with Tanzania’s former President Jakaya Kikwete as the panel’s alternate co-chairperson, the panel aims to mobilise this required investment by 2030 to implement the Continental Water Investment Programme in Africa.

“Water responds to the most essential human needs. Without water, a prosperous, equitable and peaceful Africa is not possible. It is our hope that the formation of this panel sends a clear message: water is a priority for African governments and Africa is ready to work with the world to achieve water security for each and every African citizen,” Sall continued.

Rutte added that the panel is an opportunity to focus discussions on prioritising water investments ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference and the high-level report will be a key output from the conference.

“We expect it will guide African governments and development partners as we work collectively towards water action to accelerate progress towards all water-dependent sustainable development goals,” he said.

Achieving SDG 6 will contribute to the achievement of other SDGs, said Kenyan President William Ruto, who is also on the panel, adding that water sector governance is vital.

“Good governance in water management is key to managing this highly complex policy domain.”

The panel’s work will be supported by a water investment scorecard, which will strengthen the necessary enabling investment environment in Africa.

Strong, forward-looking and inclusive governance systems; improved financing structures, incentives and cost recovery mechanisms for the water sector; and adequate processes to track, monitor and evaluate the performance and sustainability of investments are required for finance to flow, he continued.

“What is good for Africa is good for the world. Africa is ground zero – it is disproportionately affected by climate change. The consequences of Africa will be felt by all. “This panel must deliver finance for African adaptation,” said Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) CEO Dr Patrick Verkooijen.

“Water is life for children but millions of children across Africa still do not have sustainable access to sufficient water. “If we are serious about our goal of water security and sanitation for every child, we must increase financing for water investments in Africa,” added United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) executive director Catherine Russell.

African Union Development Agency (AUDA-Nepad) CEO Nardos Bekele-Thomas called on all the stakeholders that have rallied around the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa programme and the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme, as well as new partners, particularly the private sector, to continue supporting investments in the water sector and to support the efforts of the high-level panel through implementing the action plans and recommendations that the panel will advance.

The panel is convened by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (Amcow), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Unicef, AUDA-Nepad, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the GCA and the Global Water Partnership (GWP).

The panel is expected to meet at least three times over the next 18 months.

Newly appointed members of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa include Ruto; South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa; Morocco’s King Mohammed VI; Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi; The Gambia President Adama Barrow; Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan; and Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema.

The other members are Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz; Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin; Sweden Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson; Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen; and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.