Story by Memory Chamisa
ZAMBIA – AFRICAN countries have been challenged to recognise water as a critical resource and enabler for sustainable socioeconomic development.
This call came as the Third Pan-African Implementation and Partnership Conference on Water concluded in Lusaka, Zambia, this Thursday, bringing together ministers, policymakers, development partners, and civil society to discuss continental strategies for water and sanitation.
Despite abundant water resources both surface and underground ones, it has been noted Africa still has about 400 million people without access to safely managed water and 800 million without access to sanitation.
African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Mr Moses Vilakati, underscored the AU’s efforts to elevate water and sanitation on the political agenda.
“The African Union Commission has been elevating the water and sanitation issues to the level of Heads of State and Government and promoting direct connection of water with national development plans. This is a critical paradigm shift, not only in our approach to managing our water resources but also in our appreciation and valuing of water.”
South Africa’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Penny Majodina, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to regional cooperation and equitable access to water.
“South Africa’s participation reaffirms its commitment to African unity, water justice, and sustainable development, in alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Africa Water Vision 2025. Disproportionate public funding and investments in the sector have been identified as a fundamental factor underlying the fast-fading aspiration of actualising the Africa Water Vision by 2025.”
The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka underscored the need for a paradigm shift in managing water resources.
“Africa needs to act through developing and implementing its water investment projects to ensure water security for all, and through mobilising investment and finance for water security, mainly focusing on domestic sources of finance. The political leadership needs to commit to ensure that the new Africa Water Vision and Policy is formulated and adopted to place water and sanitation at the very heart of achieving the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”
The departing words from the gathering are, the urgent need for coordinated, African-led solutions to challenges of water scarcity, climate change and sustainable infrastructure.
