African Union-AIP
Water Investment Summit 2025
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The African Union-AIP Water Investment Summit 2025 will be convened from 13 to 15 August 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, 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.
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
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