The AIP is transforming the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation for a prosperous, peaceful, and equitable Africa
African Union and High Level Panel release Water Investment Action Plan at COP28
Leaders at COP28 have released the Africa Water Investment Action Plan outlining how the continent countries can mobilise the additional US$30 billion per year they need to ensure water security and sustainable sanitation on the continent. The Investment Action...
African Union Commission and GWPSA-Africa sign MoU to advance water security in Africa
The African Union Commission (AUC) and Global Water Partnership Southern Africa and Africa Coordination (GWPSA-Africa) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate to mobilise resources to implement water programmes and projects in Africa, and to...
Leaders commit to Mind the Gap – Invest in Water as the race to achieve SDG 6 in Africa accelerates
African leaders have pledged to mobilise US$30bn per year by 2030 to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation on the continent through institutional private-public partnerships, sector reform, and higher national budget allocations. This is the key...
The Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government adopted the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) as part of Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa – Priority Action Plan 2 (PIDA-PAP 2) during the 34th ordinary session of African Union summit on 7 February 2021.
In August 2018, AUDA-NEPAD, African Development Bank, African Ministers’ Council on Water, the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, Global Water Partnership signed a joint communique to transform the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation, the AIP goal.

Join Africa’s Rising Investment Tide
Our 2030 impact targets
$30 billion
Leveraged towards climate resilient water and sanitation investments
250 million
People benefit from resilient water investments and economic opportunities
4 million
Indirect jobs for vulnerable, poor youth and women.
1 million
Direct jobs created through climate resilient water and sustainable sanitation
Africa’s Water Investment Gap is Growing

Delivery of water investments across Africa is below target to meet the continent’s growing needs. It is estimated that at least $30 billion additional finance needs to be mobilised annually by 2030 to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6 target on water and sanitation. Currently, only US$10-US$19 billion is invested each year.
The water investment requirement is even larger for Africa to achieve the Africa Water Vision 2025, which requires an annual investment of US$64 billion/year, according to the African Development Bank.
The AIP is designed to narrow Africa’s water investment gap
Establish a High-level Panel at Heads of States level, strengthen political commitment and leadership
Assess the need for an International Blended investment Mechanism to leverage public- private partnership finance and investments
Promote gender equality, climate resilience and empowerment of women and girls in water investments
Develop and implement a water investment scorecard to enhance mutual accountability, transparency, efficiency and track progress in mobilisation of water investments
Develop capacity to formulate and implement regional, transboundary, and national water investment programmes to narrow the water investment gap
Enabling environment for water governance and capacity to access finance, enhance efficiency and sustainability of investments in water, sanitation and environmental protection improved
TARGETED INTERVENTIONS
International High-Level Panel
The AIP mobilises high-level political commitment and leadership for water security and sanitation investments, peace, and security.
AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard
The AIP enhances transparency and accountability in mobilisation of investments, track progress, set benchmarks, identify bottlenecks, and take action to meet Africa’s water investment and financing needs.
International Blended Investment Mechanism
The AIP promotes access to blended public-private finance for water security investments and adoption of innovative financing instruments; sovereign wealth funds, pensions, guarantees, private equity, climate finance, and others.
Climate Gender Resilience
The AIP promotes gender equality and empowerment of women, and foster integration of gender into institutional and decision-making processes of water investment programmes and implementation.
Regional, Transboundary, National Investment Programmes
The AIP develop water security, sanitation investment programmes and promote integration of water into economic planning and implementation of SDG 6 related targets on energy, food, ecosystems, health, and others.
Stakeholders
AIP TARGET BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES
The AIP supports countries in all sub-regions of Africa. The following countries were approved as initial beneficiaries in the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa Priority Action Plan 2 (PIDA-PAP 2). Other countries will be added on a rolling basis to ensure every country benefits.