A water secure Africa is possible and within our power

Mind the Gap – Invest in Water Campaign

International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa

GOAL

The goal of Mind the Gap – Invest in Water is to mobilise at least $30 billion annually by 2030 to close the water investment gap in Africa for the achievement of the water related SDG targets on the continent.

The campaign will run from September 2023 to 2030, and will convene an investment summit at the end of year one.

Water investments across Africa remains below targets required to meet the water needs of the continent. At least an additional USD $30 billion is required annually, yet only USD $10-19 billion a year is currently invested. As a result:

Over 300 million Africans do not have access to clean drinking water and over 700 million live without access to good sanitation.

The economic sectors do not get the water they need, and Sub-Saharan Africa loses 5% of its GDP annually because of a lack of water, contaminated water, or poor sanitation.

Three out of four jobs are water dependent and Africa needs to create more job opportunities, especially for its youth population.

Climate change compounds the challenges through extreme and frequent floods and droughts. 

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness, influence change, and ultimately – prompt behaviour change that can result in the mobilisation of investments towards climate resilient water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa.

Commitments and resources mobilised will contribute closing of the water investment gap, implementation of the AIP High-Level Panel Investment Action Plan, and the UN 2023 Water Action Agenda  in Africa.

Download the full campaign brochure in English
Download the full campaign brochure in French

SUPPORT FOR MIND THE GAP

Leaders at 78th UN General Assembly

Former RSA President, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, with Mr. Alex Simalabwi

Ministers at 78th UN General Assembly

Water Department in the Government of Zanzibar

Minister Khadija Mohamed Almakhzoumi of Somalia

24th WaterNet – WARFSA – GWPSA Symposium

Delivery of water infrastructure across Africa remains below targets required to meet the water needs of the continent. At least an additional USD $30 billion is required annually to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6, yet only USD $10-19
billion a year is invested in water infrastructure.

WHY

Over 300 million Africans do not have access to clean drinking water and over 700 million live without access to good sanitation. Presently, investments in water infrastructure and support services falls short of what is needed to meet the continent’s economic and social needs. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation has a major negative impact on poverty reduction
and economic development. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) also hold significant potential for jobs, economic growth, and health.

Sub-Saharan Africa loses 5% of its GDP annually because of a lack of water, contaminated water, or poor sanitation. By 2030, the African population will reach 1.6 billion and the continent will need to produce at least 50% more food.Africa will also need at least ten times more water for energy production to support modernisation of economies.

Three out of four jobs are water dependent and Africa needs to create more job opportunities, especially for its youth population. Africa’s young people would have increased by 42% by 2030, and with youth comes the opportunity to industrialise, innovate and transform Africa’s economy towards prosperity and peace. On the flipside, youth unemployment and lack of productive youth engagement has potential to cause large scale revolt and impact social-political stability and peace.

The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness, influence change, and ultimately – prompt behaviour change that can result mobilisation of investments towards climate resilient water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa.
Commitments mobilised will contribute to the AIP High-Level Panel Report and Investment Plan, and the UN 2023 Water Action Agenda.

Gaps Addressed

The campaign aims address key systemic challenges that constrain availability of water for social needs as well as economic sectors and undermine development on the continent.

Governance Gap

53% of African countries have low implementation of integrated and coordinated approaches to water management, development, and sanitation services.
 

  • Water crises are usually governance crises.
  • Technical solutions often exist, but the challenge is translating them into “who does what, at which level, and how” which is too often lacking.
  • Water challenges are embedded across the economy and society and are often overlapping. We therefore require an integrated approach, building on the notion of Integrated Water Resource Management.

Finance Gap

At least an additional US$30billion a year should be invested in water and sanitation in Africa.

  • The low prioritisation of water as an investment by the business sector, philanthropies, and other non-state funders is partly due to poor incentives, incoherent policies, and solid project pipelines, which discourage risk averse financiers.
  • The private sector contributes only 9% of water investments in Africa, vs 87% in telecoms and 45% in power.
  • The High-Level Panel invites African Heads of State and global leaders to join efforts to double current water investments by 2030.

Capacity and Data Gap

71% of African countries are lagging in implementation of integrated water resources management and have inadequate capacity for effective implementation.

  • Capacity Development will increase the quality of implementation and make interventions more sustainable.
  • Achieving SDG 6 requires stronger collaboration across sectors and clear information flows to enable better planning, funding, and partnerships.

How Mind the Gap – Invest in Water works

Mobilise action

and implement the nine finance targets proposed by the High-Level Panel  in the pyramid of water investment transformation.

Raise ambition

for water investments by increasing awareness on the centrality of water security for social, economic development, and resilience to climate change.

Secure commitments

for new funding to bridge the water investment gap by convening stakeholders and connecting investment opportunities with sources of finance.

Mobilising an additional US$30bn/year: Where the money will come from

The pyramid of water investment transformation.

outcomes

US$30billion in new funding is mobilised to bridge the water investment gap in Africa by 2030.

The role of water security and sustainable sanitation in social, economic development, and climate resilience is amplified and promoted at the highest political level.

There is increased awareness and understanding among key stakeholders of the recommendations made by the International High-Level Panel to mobilise an additional US$30bn/year, as outlined in the pyramid of water investment transformation and the five-point plan below.

5 Point Action Plan

The campaign supports the implementation of the five-point action plan outlined in the 2023 landmark report, Africa’s Rising Investment Tide – a significant outcome of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference and a voluntary commitment in the United Nations 2023 Water Action Agenda.

Establish cross-sectoral political leadership at the highest level, with commitment to substantially increase public budgets for water.

Track progress and enhance mutual accountability in the mobilisation of water investments. Recommit to allocation of at least 5% of national budgets for the water and sanitation sector and 0.5% of GDP per annum for sanitation and hygiene programmes.

Mobilise new sources of funding and innovative finance.

Strengthen institutional regulation for water investments, create incentives and penalties for increased water efficiency across multiple industries to lead water stewardship efforts, biodiversity, and ecosystem protection.

Use ODA to de-risk water investments and leverage larger funding streams.

News