Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy adoption, main highlight for 2025 – AMCOW

As we come to an end of 2025, this is a perfect moment to look back at the final milestone year for the Africa Water 2025.

For us, the adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, at the 14^th General Assembly of the Governing Council of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) – hosted by the Republic of Senegal, is the main highlight for 2025. The Vision and Policy – of a water secure and resilient Africa with safe sanitation for all – is not merely aspirational. It is a blueprint for action within the context of assuring water security in pursuit of the goals of AU’s Agenda 2063.

The Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy seeks to deliver on a set of eight vision statements, namely. 

1. Universal access to safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services
2. Sustainable water availability for transformed economies and growing, prosperous populations facing greater climate uncertainty
3. A thriving blue economy sustainably leverages Africa’s marine resources to drive prosperity, climate resilience, ecosystem protection and well-being
4. Water governance systems, institutions and transformative leadership grounded in international water law and the principles of subsidiarity, accountability and transparency
5. Water basins recognise as shared natural assets for enhancing regional integration, peace, social inclusion and political stability
6. People, economies, and ecosystems are resilient and adequately protected from risks of natural and man-made water-related disasters
7. Human capital development, technological empowerment and adaptive learning meet the requirements for effective management of Africa’s natural resources base
8. Investment into legitimised and integrated water information systems supporting science-based decision making for climate resilience and raising the profile of water management and sanitation in national systems for economic planning, investment and financial allocation

The process of formulating the Post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy is traced back to the 2022 WASSMO Report when an eight-step roadmap was outlined and adopted.

In February, as a part of the step to ensure high-level political ownership of the vision and commitment to its implementation, the African Union Commission appointed the Reference Group and Sherpas. The main task of the Reference Group was to advise on the central tenets and provide leadership to build broad political consensus on the new Africa Water Vision and Policy. At the technical level, the Reference Group was supported by a team of Sherpas who commenced their work with the formulation of for thematic papers to inform consultations.

Later in February, with strong support from Member States and the AUC, we secured landmark decisions on water and sanitation. During the 38^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, held from February 15 to 16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the Union took decisions:

1. Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII) adopting “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” as the African Union Theme of the year 2026.
2. Assembly/AU/Dec.931(XXXVIII) acknowledging the Republic of Zambia’s leadership to host, from May 27 to 29, 2025, the third African Implementation and Partnership Conference on water and sanitation (PANAFCON-3).

In March and April, AMCOW Statutory Meetings of the Technical Advisory and Technical Experts Committees and Partners provided a platform for consultations at the sub-regional level. These meetings assured the involvement and contribution of all Member States in formulating the new vision and policy.

Prior to the statutory meetings, AMCOW officially welcomed the Republic of Senegal as its new President, on March 3, marking an important transition in advancing Africa’s water and sanitation goals. The Republic of Senegal assumed the presidency from the Arab Republic of Egypt for a two-year term, until 2027. In his inaugural address, His Excellency Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, as the President of AMCOW, reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment to drive progress to achieve water and sanitation sector targets.

AMCOW’s leadership changes extended to its Executive Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, with Senegal taking a leading role. Egypt took over the role of chair of the Africa Water Facility (AWF) Governing Council. AWF is an AMCOW initiative hosted by the African Development Bank.

The third African Implementation and Partnership on Water (PANAFCON-3) convened from May 27 to 29, 2025, in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia, provided a platform for reviewing the initial draft of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. PANAFCON-3 reached consensus on the vision and policy goals. Collectively, political leadership undertook to promote the principles of valuing water and the circular sanitation economy to assure sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.

In June, PANAFCON-3 outcomes informed an iterated version of the draft Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy that was shared with Member States in July.

The months of July and August were dedicated to finalising the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. To ensure continued input in finalising the draft vision and policy, virtual Member States’ meetings were conducted on July 24, 2025, and August 7, 2025. Further, a session on the draft Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy was convened during the Africa Water Investment Summit, held from August 13 to 15, 2025, in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa. The main objective of the session was to create awareness on the vision and policy.

In September, our energy and focus were devoted to preparation of the 14^th General Assembly of AMCOW hosted from September 27 to 29 in Dakar, the Republic of Senegal. Apart from adopting the new Vision and Policy, the General Assembly also approved:

1. the AMCOW Business Plan 2026 – 2030 to provide a strategic framework for ensuring AMCOW’s financial stability and long-term institutional sustainability;
2. the AMCOW Strategic Operational Plan 2026 – 2030 which positions AMCOW as a proactive, influential, and practical institution in efforts to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation outcomes in Africa; and,
3. the Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa 2026 – 2033 to accelerate implementation of APAGroP.

In October, we participated at the 6th Ordinary Session of the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE) of AUC held from October 21 to 24, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At the STC, AMCOW submitted the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as well as the 2024 Annual Report of the Commission on the implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration on the Sharm El Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa.  Consequently, the 6^th STC on ARDWE took several decisions related to water and sanitation, as follows:

1. Took note of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as adopted by the Sectoral Ministerial Committee on Water and Sanitation (AMCOW) to provide strategic guidance to the resilience building within the water and sanitation sector
2. Further, took note the 2024 Annual Report of the Commission on the implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration on the Sharm El Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa (Assembly/AU/ Decl.1 (XI)). The report provides the agreed situation analysis and the baseline information for the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.
3. Recommended the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy for endorsement by the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government: (i) as a continental implementation framework for achieving the goals of Agenda 2063; and, (ii) as Africa’s Common Position and input to the UN 2026 Water Conference to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6. 
4. Tasked the AMCOW Secretariat, working with the AUC; AfDB; AWF; and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and in consultation with Member States to: (i) to develop the First Implementation Plan 2026-2033 of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy (FIP 2026-33) to launch efforts to realise the vision by 2063. And (ii) to organise – on the margins of the 2026 African Development Bank Annual Meeting – an International Conference on Financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy Implementation Plan 2026-2033.
5. Requested the President of the African Development Bank to facilitate the hosting of the International Conference on Financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy on the margins of the Bank’s Annual Meetings in 2026.
6. Further requested the AU Commission to facilitate the launch of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy at the 39^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of State and Government in February 2026.
7. Requested the AU Commission in collaboration with the AMCOW Secretariat and the African Development Bank to organise for the launch the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy Implementation Plan (2026 – 2033) at the International Financing Conference to be hosted on the margins of the AfDB’s Annual Meetings in 2026 for the purpose of mobilising resources.
8. Requested Member States to: (i) domesticate the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy into their national frameworks to facilitate implementation; and (ii) work with Regional Economic Communities to ensure standardisation and harmonisation.

We closed the month of October with an announcement of AMCOW’s appointment as a Regional Coordinator of the 11^th World Water Forum Regional Process for Africa. The World Water Council appointed regional processes coordinating institutions for Africa, the Americas, Arab as well as Asia and the Pacific regions. The appointment was based on proven experience, collaboration capacity, and strong commitment to advancing regional perspectives in global water dialogue. AMCOW has always ensured stronger engagement of the AUC, AfDB and members states as well as partners in the preparation for the World Water Forum series.

In November, together with the African Union Commission, through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, we convened the 6^th African Water and Sanitation Partners’ Coordination Platform (PCP) meeting. The meeting received updates from different eight clusters co-leads on the activities undertaken since 5^th Ordinary Session of PCP. The meeting reviewed the draft Action Framework for the Implementation of the AU Theme for 2026 “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.

A calendar of activities to commemorate the AU Theme for 2026 was also agreed by the partners. One of the key outcomes of the PCP was an agreement to establish a Task Team to facilitate the formulation of a draft First Implementation Plan 2026 – 2033 for the new Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

Finally, in December, we closed the year with our participation at different high-level events at continental and global levels. These include the XIX World Water Congress convened by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) from December 1 to 5 in Marrakech, Morocco and the International Water Association (IWA) Water and Development Congress and Exhibition 2025 from December 8 to 12 in Bangkok, Thailand. AMCOW used these events to present and create awareness on the new Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

As we conclude the year, we would like to express our gratitude to AUC, through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, for the leadership provided in the process of formulating the new vision and policy. The achievements in this year were as a result of the tremendous support and invaluable contributions from:

1. Excellences the President, Vice Presidents, and Members of the council of Ministers.
2. the Member States that availed the data used to prepare the knowledge and information materials shared during the events convened.
3. the African Development Bank through the Africa Water Facility (AWF); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; the United States State Department through USAID; Gates Foundation (GF); the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation through GIZ; the Global Environmental Facility through the FAO and IWMI; African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), AUDA-NEPAD Network of Water Centres of Excellence; the Embassy of Finland in Zambia, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM), National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), SARO Agro Industrial Limited, SNV, Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), UNESCO, UNICEF, WaterAid; Wonderful Group, Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO), Zambia Sugar, the Zambezi watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM); and the Zambezi Water Authority (ZRA)

 We are now looking forward to 2026, starting with the business of the Union to commemorate the AU Theme for 2026 “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. The 39^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly sets the stage for consideration and endorsement of the Africa Water Vision 2026 and Policy.

As we implement the activities in 2026, we will continue counting on the leadership and support of Member States and the collective ability with partners towards “A Water Secure and Resilient Africa with Safe Sanitation for All”.

By AMCOW Secretariat