Africa must urgently close the financing gap for water and sanitation investments if the continent is to accelerate progress on sustainable development, climate resilience and economic transformation, Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, said at the African Development Bank Group 2026 Annual Meetings.
Speaking at a high-level side event on Financing Africa’s Water Investments, Gatete commended the African Development Bank Group, the African Union Commission, the African Ministers’ Council on Water and partners for convening what he described as a timely and strategic discussion on Africa’s water future.
He said the event came at a critical moment for the implementation of the Africa Water Vision 2063, which seeks to achieve a water-secure and resilient Africa with safe sanitation for all.
“The challenge is not a lack of solutions; it is about how we prioritize, finance and implement them at scale,” Gatete said, noting that the discussions had highlighted practical experiences, concrete pathways and the urgent need to translate ambition into action.
