Photo at top shows: Hon. Pemmy Majodina: Minister of Water and Sanitation for South Africa; Hon. Calle Schlettwein: Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform for Namibia; Dr Mohammed Diatta: Senegal representing Hon. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, Senegal Minister of Water & Sanitation; Dr. Tahani Sileet: AMCOW representing Hon. Hani Sewilam-Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt ( President of Africa Ministers Council on Water( AMCOW); Dr. Jihane El Gaouzi: AUC representing H.E Josefa Sacko, Commissioner, Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Development ( AUC); Mtchera Chirwa: African Development Bank; Alex Simalabwi: GWPSA-Africa and AIP; Nisrine Lmariouh representing Dr Amgad Elmahdi, GCF Regional Manager – Middle East & North Africa Arnaud de Vanssay: European Commission.
The African Union (AU) Commission, and International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, have launched the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Platform and Blended Facility during the 9th African Water Week.
The Platform will connect countries seeking funding with investors seeking a pipeline of climate-resilient water projects and contains an initial project pipeline valued at US$ 37 billion.
“Development partners, financiers, and investors can search and review prospective projects and engage with project promotors and countries through the new AU-AIP Investment Platform and Blended Facility accessible via the AIP website,” said Hon. Calle Schlettwein, Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform for the Republic of Namibia (left).
“The Platform is a commitment of the AU High-Level Panel to assist with the promotion of a credible pipeline of bankable projects,” he added. Hon. Calle Schlettwein was speaking on behalf of the High-Level Panel, which is co-chaired by the Governments of Namibia and Senegal.
Part of the Africa Water Investment Action Plan
The establishment of the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Platform and Blended Facility follows a 2023 call by the AUC, in collaboration with the High-Level Panel, to AU Member States requesting submissions of water investment opportunities, programmes, and/or projects for consideration towards the Africa Water Investment Action Plan.
The Africa Water Investment Action Plan was launched by the AUC and the High-Level Panel in November 2023 to support the mobilisation of an additional US$30 billion/year towards water security and climate-resilient sanitation to implement the AIP.
“The AU Commission is resolutely committed to working diligently with Member States, AU Pan African Institutions, Regional Economic Communities, development partners and stakeholders towards climate resilient water security and sanitation for all in the continent,” said H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner For Agriculture Rural Development, Blue Economy And Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission. She was represented by Dr. Jihane El Gaouzi, Head of the AU’s Sustainable Environment Division.
Towards the AU High-Level Panel recommendations
There are over 50 projects on the project pipeline, each meeting at least one of the following criteria based on AU High-Level Panel recommendations:
- Promote cross-sectoral political leadership at the highest level, with commitment to substantially increase public budgets and investments for water security and sustainable sanitation;
- Track progress and enhance mutual accountability for results in the mobilisation of water investments;
- Promote new sources of funding and innovative finance;
- Strengthen institutional regulation for water investments, create incentives and penalties for increased water efficiency;
- Advance use of official developmental assistance to de-risk water investments and leverage larger funding streams.
Hon. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, Minister of Water and Sanitation for the Republic of Senegal, called for urgency to accelerate investments in water and sanitation projects in Africa, adding that the launch of the AU-AIP Investment Platform and Blended Facility that would link those seeking funding and investment with potential investors, to close the continent’s water investment gap.
“The AIP remains our blueprint for an equitable and prosperous future. Senegal is committed to transforming the investment outlook for water and sanitation investments both at home and on the continent. We call on all possible political and development partners, as well as the private sector, to join us.”
Pipeline to be profiled at AU Water Investment Summit
Hon. Pemmy Majodina, South African Minister of Water and Sanitation said that the initial project pipeline of the Platform will be showcased to investors and financiers during the AU Water Investment Summit to be convened in the context of the G20 Presidency of South Africa in 2025.‘We must use this Platform to consolidate bankable project pipelines to present during the Summit, added Minister Majodina (left).
The Platform will link projects with finance sources and technical assistance to prepare bankable projects by leveraging existing project development facilities.
Development finance partner support
The launch was witnessed and supported by AU’s development finance partners including the African Development Bank/Africa Water Facility, Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the European Commission. These partners showcased their current portfolio of projects and project preparation facilities that have the potential to contribute and collaborate with the Platform and Blended Facility.
Dr Amgad Elmahdi, GCF Regional Manager for Middle East and North Africa, welcomed the Blended Facility as key to ensuring further development of GCF concept notes and project pipelines that will be developed as part of the AU-AIP GCF Readiness Support for the development of AIP national climate resilient water investment programmes in at least 20 African countries.
Arnaud De Vanssay, Team Leader for Water at the European Commission, announced that through the EU Global Gateway, the EU will mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027.
Mr. Mtchera Chirwa (left), the African Development Bank’s Acting Director, Water and Sanitation and Coordinator of the Africa Water Facility, presented the Bank’s water portfolio estimated at US$ 4 billion and stressed that the sum is not enough to address the needs of the continent and there is a need to scale up resource mobilization.
“We are pleased to see the official launch of the Africa Water Investment Platform and AIP Blended Facility following a two-year-long process of development,” said Mr. Alex Simalabwi, Chief Executive Officer of the AIP.
“The original idea was championed by founding Co-Chair, H.E Macky Sall, Former President of Senegal, who advocated for the establishment of a Blue Fund on Water similar to the Green Climate Fund or Global Health Fund,” said Mr. Simalabwi.
“Following a feasibility study led by UNDP, UNICEF, Development of South Africa’s SADC Water Fund and GWP-Africa, it was recommended that a ‘match-making platform and blended facility’ be established to leverage already existing funds and project development facilities. This would avoid duplication of so many water-related funds that already exist.”
“Private funding is imperative for mobilising an additional US$30 billion per year towards implementing the AIP. The AIP International Blended Investment Facility will leverage public-private partnership finance and investments,” said Mr. Simalabwi.