African Union-AIP
Water Investment Summit 2025
The African Union-AIP Water Investment Summit 2025 convened from 13 to 15 August 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa.
The Summit was 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, the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD and Global Water Partnership. It was 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.
DOWNLOAD THE SUMMIT DECLARATION
Summit Hosts
H.E Cyril Ramaphosa
President, Republic of South Africa
G20 Chair
H.E João Lourenço
President, Republic of Angola
African Union Chairperson
H.E Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
Chair: African Union Commission
H.E Pemmy Majodina
Minister of Water and Sanitation of South Africa
H.E Moses Vilakati
African Union Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development
UN Water Envoy welcomes Water Investment Summit
H.E Retno Marsudi, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Water
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).
Panel Leadership
H.E. Bassirou Diomaye Faye
Co-Chair
President of the Republic of Senegal
H.E Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Co-Chair
President of the Republic of Namibia
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete
Alternate Co-Chair
Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania
Founding Co-Chairs
H.E. Macky Sall
Founding Co-Chair
Former President of the Republic of Senegal
H.E. Hage Geingob
Founding Co-Chair
Former President of the Republic of Namibia
H.E. Mark Rutte
Founding Co-Chair
Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Join these Heads of States and Government
H.E Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda
Represented by:
Dr. Jimmy Gasore
Minister of Infrastructure
Republic of Rwanda.
H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
President of Somalia
Represented by H.E Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia
His Royal Majesty King Mswati III
Kingdom of Eswatini
H.E Mia Mottley
Prime Minister of Barbados
Represented by:
Hon. William Duguid, M.P
Senior Minister-Infrastructural Projects
Minister of Planning and Development
H.E Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi
Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia
Representing H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia
H.E Duma Gideon Boko
President of Botswana
H.E Daniel Francisco Chapo
President of Mozambique
Panel Members
H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa
President of the Republic of South Africa
H.E. Samia Hassan
President of the United Republic of Tanzania
H.E. William Rutto
President of the Republic of Kenya
H.E. Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia
H.E. Adama Barrow
President of the Republic of The Gambia
H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
Chair: African Union Commission
Nardos Bekele-Thomas
CEO: African Union Development Agency - NEPAD
Achim Steiner
Administrator: United Nations Development Programme
Catherine Russell
Executive Director: United Nations Childrens Fund
Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen
CEO: Global Center on Adaptation
Pablo Bereciartua
Chair: Global Water Partnership
Alex Simalabwi
CEO: Global Water Partnership, AIP High Level Panel Secretariat
Join the Ministers and Delegates below at the Water Investment Summit
Hon. Prof. Dr. Hani Sweilam
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt
Hon. Laurent TCHAGBA
Minister of Water and Forests, Côte D'Ivoire
Hon. Roland Layfette Giddings
Chairman, National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Commission, Liberia
H.E. Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Max-Kyne
Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Sierra Leone
Hon Cheikh Tidiane Dieye
Minister of Water, Senegal & AMCOW President
Henk Ovink
Executive Director, Global Commission on the Economics of Water
Stefan Uhlenbrook
Director of Hydrology & Water, World Meteorological Organisation
H.E. Abdulla Balalaa
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates
Name Hon. Onneetse Ramogapi
Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Bostwana
His Royal Highness Prince Lonkhokhela Dlamini
Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Eswatini
Hon. Eng. Eric Murithi Mugaa
Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitation & Irrigation, Kenya
Hon. Jocelia Taplah, Deputy Minister
Rural Development and Community Services, Liberia
Inge I. Zaamwani
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Namibia
H.E. Abdullahi Bidhaan
Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Somalia
Hon. Archier Manyuat John
Undersecretary, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, South Sudan
Eng. Mwajuma J. Waziri
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water, Tanzania
Mr. Sim Tshabalala,
Group CEO, Standard Bank
Dr Diego Rodriguez
Lead Water Economist for Eastern and Southern Africa, World Bank
Ms. Mafalda Duarte
Executive Director, Green Climate Fund
Mr. Chuene Ramphele
Group Executive, Infrastructure- Development Bank of Southern Africa
Dr. Hubert Danso
Chairman and CEO of Africa Investor Group
Mtchera Johannes Chirwa
Director, Water and Sanitation Department at African Development Bank
Dr. Jimmy Gasore
Minister of Infrastructure Republic of Rwanda.
Hon. William Duguid
Senior Minister Infrastructural Projects Minister of Planning and Development
Hon. Anxious Jongwe MASUKU
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Zimbabwe
Hon. Eng Collins Nzovu
Minister for Water Development and Sanitation, Zambia
H.E. Mr. Taha Derbal
Minister of Hydraulics, Algeria
Hon. Kingnidé Paulin AKPONNA
Minister of Energy, Water and Mines, Benin
H.E Dr. Eng. Habtamu Itefa Geleta
Minister of Water and Energy, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Hon. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei
Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Ghana
Hon. Abdasalam Naser Gad Abdalmola
Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Libya
Hon. Abida Sidik Mia
Minister of Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Malawi
Hon. Fernando Rafael
Minister of Housing and Water Resources, Mozambique
Hon. Eng. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Nigeria
Hon. Adda Brahim Bachir
Minister of Water and Environment, Saharawi Government, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic
Hon. Mawunyo Mila Ami AZIABLE
Ministère de l'eau et de l'Assainissement, Togo
Hon. Mr. Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh
Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Tunisia
Hon. Sam CHEPTORIS
Minister of Water and Environment, Uganda
H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan
Cabinet Member and Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE
Invited finance & technical partners
