Background
As Africa prepares for the upcoming 12th session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, the continent faces a critical opportunity to take stock of progress and accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). Despite ongoing efforts, progress on water and sanitation remains off track, with millions still lacking access to safely managed services. Increasing pressures from climate change, rapid urbanization, population growth, and environmental degradation continue to intensify water insecurity across the continent, undermining health outcomes, economic productivity, and social stability.
Objectives
The objectives of the pre-event include:
- Commemorate the AU Theme of the year 2026 with partners and highlight priority actions for implementation.
- Create shared understanding and visibility of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and policy (AWVP63), including its implementation approach and strategic priorities.
- Identify a concise set of priority actions and partnerships to accelerate financing and implementation of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy and the AU Theme of the Year 2026 at national and regional levels.
- Foster inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration, bringing together governments, regional institutions, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector to enhance coordination, ownership, and accountability in advancing Africa’s water agenda.
- Highlight transformative approaches to accelerate SDG 6 implementation, including innovative financing, improved governance, transboundary water cooperation, and the application of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework.
- Gather inputs to shape Africa’s messages and contributions to upcoming global and continental water processes in 2026, in particular the UN Water Conference.
Expected Outcomes
- Increased shared understanding among stakeholders of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and policy, including its strategic priorities, implementation approach, and relevance to national and regional agendas, and the 2026 AU Theme.
- Consolidated inputs toward Africa’s common position on water and sanitation to inform the continent’s engagement at the 2026 UN Water Conference, including priority actions, partnerships, and financing needs to accelerate progress on SDG 6.
- Agreed key messages from the water sector to feed into ARFSD-12, highlighting Africa’s priorities, challenges, and transformative solutions required to accelerate implementation of SDG 6 and the 2030 Agenda.
- Consolidated and actionable inputs from partners to inform the International Conference on Financing the AWVP63; implement activities to commemorate the AU Theme of the Year 2026; the 2026 UN Water Conference; and preparations for the 11th World Water Forum.
- Increased momentum and political commitment toward scaling up investments, improving governance, and advancing innovative approaches, including transboundary water cooperation and application of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework.
- Strengthened multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration frameworks, including increased engagement of the private sector and development partners to support financing and implementation of water and sanitation initiatives.
Participants
African Union Member States, Regional Economic Communities, River and Lake Basin Organisations, Financial institutions, Civil Society Organisations, private sector, academia, UN agencies and nongovernmental organisations, development partners, youth, women groups representatives within the water, sanitation and related sectors
Contact Details
Comfort Kanshio, African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)
Thandile Gule and Zoé Quesnay, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
thandile.gule@un.org ; zoe.quesnay@un.org
Documents
Concept Note and Programme of Work
Presentations
- Water Food Energy Ecosystem Nexus Investment Framework
- Africa's Priorities and Common Position on Water for 2026 and Beyond
- Overview of the 2026 UN Water Conference
- Valuing Water as an Economic Asset and Accelerating Financing Water Infrastructure in AfricaNadia
- Common Africa Position Analytical Report Overview
- Approach and means of developing a detailed First Implementation Plan (FIP) for theAfrica Water Vision 2063 and Policy