Cape Town hosts summit to bridge Africa’s water funding gap

South Africa is hosting the African Union-AIP Water Investment Summit in Cape Town this week to tackle Africa’s R531-billion annual water investment gap. Leaders, investors, and global partners have gathered to mobilise funding for climate-resilient water infrastructure across the continent. South African Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says the summit aims to deliver a decisive declaration on water investments.

The summit also highlights innovative financing models and public-private partnerships to accelerate water projects. With nearly 400 million Africans lacking access to clean water, experts stress the urgency of closing the investment gap to secure water security and support sustainable development goals.

To support this effort, the African Union Commission, alongside the Republic of Senegal, the Republic of South Africa, the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, and partners, has established a Working Group. This group, formed during “Water Day at the Science Summit” at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, is tasked with preparing for the AU Africa Water Investment Summit in 2025.