The year 2025 has emerged as a pivotal milestone for the African water and sanitation community. Throughout this year, we have resolutely pursued AMCOW’s mission, which is to “provide political leadership, strategic guidance and advocacy for the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and the preservation of African ecosystems”.
True to this mission and mandate, AMCOW, in close collaboration with the African Union Commission, has led the process of developing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.
You will recall that at the beginning of the new millennium, we set out our ambition for “an Africa where water resources are used equitably and sustainably for socio-economic development, poverty reduction, regional cooperation and environmental protection by 2025”.
I am delighted that, in this pivotal year, the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy was adopted at the 14th Session of the AMCOW General Assembly, held on 29 September in Dakar, Senegal. This Vision and Policy – that of a resilient Africa, secure in terms of water and equipped with safe sanitation for all– is not merely an aspiration. They constitute a genuine roadmap for the next 38 years, with the overall objective of ensuring water security as part of the implementation of Agenda 2063, the Africa we want.
They position water as an essential catalyst for the achievement of Agenda 2063, from poverty eradication, food security and industrialisation to climate resilience and regional integration.
The new Africa Water Vision will be our compass, our collective voice and our shared commitment to future generations. It will also serve as Africa’s common position and contribution to the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, with a view to accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).
I am particularly pleased that the document entitled “Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063” is the result of a long consultative process led by Member States. This approach aligns with the priorities defined at the beginning of Senegal’s two-year term as President of AMCOW. As recalled during the handover of the AMCOW presidency on March 3, 2025, one of our major ambitions was to reach a consensus on the development and adoption of a common and ambitious Africa Water Vision and Policy post-2025.
This approach was also in line with the decisions of the 13th AMCOW General Assembly, held in the Arab Republic of Egypt in June 2023, which entrusted the AMCOW Secretariat with conducting a multi-level dialogue process with a view to adopting the new Vision.
The sub-regional consultation meetings, organised by the AMCOW Vice-Presidents in each of the sub-regions, on the sidelines of our institution’s statutory meetings, played a decisive role in this consultative process. In this regard, allow me to commend the leadership and support of my colleagues and AMCOW Vice-Presidents:
- Jumaa Hamidu Aweso, Minister of Water and Irrigation of the United Republic of Tanzania, hosted the meeting of the East Africa Sub-Regional Ministerial Committee from March 4 to 7, 2025, in Dar Es Salaam;
- Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hosted the West African Member States from March 18 to 20 in Abuja;
- Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe, convened the Southern Africa sub-regional meeting from March 24 to 26 in Harare;
- José Juan Ndong Tom Mekina, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Environment of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, convened the Central African Member States to a virtual meeting on April 2 and 3, 2025; and
- Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco, convened the Member States of North Africa on April 8 and 10 in Rabat.
We also express our deep gratitude to the authorities of the Republic of Zambia for hosting the Third Pan-African Conference on Implementation and Partnership (PANAFCON-3), held from May 27 to 29 in Lusaka. PANAFCON-3 provided an inclusive platform for broad consultations with all stakeholders to review the initial draft Vision and Policy Framework for the post-2025 period, aimed at ensuring water security and access to sanitation for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
We extend our sincere thanks to Collins Nzovu, Member of Parliament and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation of the Republic of Zambia, for his visionary leadership and mobilisation in convening and conducting PANAFCON-3.
Another major milestone was the African Union Summit on Investment in the Water Sector, held from August 13 to 15, 2025, in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, during which AMCOW organised an awareness-raising session on the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. We deeply appreciate the leadership of Pemmy Majodna, Member of Parliament and Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of South Africa, who was able to mobilise and unite political leaders around this strategic agenda during the Summit.
The development of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy would not have been possible without the decisive leadership of the African Union Commission. In this regard, allow me to express my gratitude to my brother and visionary leader, Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Economy, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) of the African Union Commission.
We also extend our thanks to the reference group and sherpas appointed by the African Union Commission who worked, on the one hand, to build a broad political consensus around the fundamental principles of the Africa Water Vision and Policy and, on the other hand, to ensure sustained dialogue and active engagement of all stakeholders.
We also welcome the continued support and valuable collaboration of the African Development Bank, through the African Water Facility (AWF); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA); the Gates Foundation (GF); the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, through GIZ; the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI); the African Network of Civil Society Organisations on Water and Sanitation (ANEW); the AUDA-NEPAD Network of Centres of Excellence on Water; WaterAid; the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR); and all our implementing partners.
At the end of the year, we also had the honour of taking part in several high-level continental events. These included the eight edition of Cairo Water Week, held from October 12 to 16 in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, and the 19th World Water Congress, organised by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) from December 1 to 5 in Marrakesh, Kingdom of Morocco.
As we approach the end of 2025, we look forward to 2026 with renewed commitment. We express our gratitude to our Heads of State and Government for adopting the theme “Ensuring sustainable availability of water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063” as the theme of the African Union for the year 2026. This strategic choice aims to strengthen water security in order to realise Africa’s aspirations to expand its economic opportunities.
The 39th ordinary session of the Assembly, scheduled for February 2026, will be mainly devoted to the adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy as a continental tool for implementing Agenda 2063.
In accordance with the decision of the African Union (Assembly/AU/Dec.912(XXXVIII)), the Republic of Senegal also notes the opportunity offered by the vertical links between the African Union’s 2026 theme framework and the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.
As co-organiser of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, Senegal also intends to place the Africa Water Vision and Policy at the heart of global discussions on the actions to be taken to give new impetus to the implementation of Africa’s commitments on water and sanitation.
As we commemorate the AU theme for 2026, we seek to:
- develop a first detailed implementation plan for the Africa Water Vision and Policy for the period 2026-2033.
- formulate the first implementation plan 2026-2033 for the Africa Water Vision and Policy (FIP 2026-33) and mobilise the necessary efforts to implement this Vision by 2063;
- organise, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank, an international conference on financing the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy;
- ensure the dissemination and awareness-raising of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy at major events, including:
- 12th Ordinary Session of the African Regional Forum for Sustainable Development on the theme: Water and Development – UNECA
- Africa Water & Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium Kigali 2026
- Regional preparatory processes towards the 11th World Water Forum
In conclusion, allow me to reaffirm my full commitment to working in collaboration with all Member States, partner institutions and all stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector.
Only through collective action, based on determination and solidarity, can we make water and sanitation a political and socio-economic priority, serving inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity for our continent in 2026 and beyond.
By Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Republic of Senegal, and AMCOW President