African Union-AIP
Water Investment Summit 2025
The African Union-AIP Water Investment Summit 2025 will be convened in August 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Summit will be convened by the Republic of South Africa, African Union Commission, AU-Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), AU-AIP International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa and the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD. It will be hosted in the context of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, aligning with its priorities of rapid and inclusive economic growth, poverty and hunger eradication, and climate sustainability.
Why This Summit Matters
Africa faces a US$30 billion annual water investment gap. This Summit will mobilize investments in climate-resilient water and sanitation projects, ensuring water security, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent.
By leveraging South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the Summit will:
Facilitate increased access to climate finance for water security and resilience
Showcase bankable water and sanitation projects to potential funders and investors.
Promote policy and regulatory reforms for an enabling investment environment.
Strengthen partnerships between governments, private sector, and development partners.
Key Objectives
The Summit aims to:
Mobilize
Mobilize financial commitments towards Africa’s water investment needs.
Advocate
Advocate for improved access to finance for water and sanitation projects.
Strengthen
Strengthen governance and accountability in the water sector.
Showcase
Showcase a pipeline of investment-ready projects to funders and investors.
Promote
Promote legal and regulatory reforms to enhance water investments.
The Summit will also lead to the preparation of the Summit Declaration, which will be presented to:
G20 Leaders through South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
African Union decision-making bodies.
The 2026 UN Water Conference (co-hosted by Senegal and the UAE).
Presidential Water Changemakers Awards
The Changemaker Awards are a global initiative that aim to recognise high-level commitment and leadership for climate-resilient water investments, and showcase the most promising climate-resilient innovations with the greatest potential for scale, replication, and further investment to support a water-secure world.
The Presidential Water Changemaker Awards recognize global leaders and heads of state for their commitment to climate-resilient water investments.
In 2023, H.E. Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana at the time, presented six Presidential Water Changemaker Awards at the UN Water Conference in New York, recognizing the following leaders
H.E. Macky Sall
Senegal
H.E. Hage Geingob
Namibia
H.E. Mark Rutte
Netherlands
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete
Tanzania, Former President
H.E. Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia
H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi
President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council