Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah cautioned that failing to secure sustainable water management could fuel both internal and cross-border conflicts, calling on AU Member States to prioritise focused, results-oriented investments in the water sector.
“We should also note that water scarcity and sanitation pressures can lead to migration and displacement, which could trigger internal and cross-border conflicts. In order to prevent such conflicts, targeted and results-driven investments should be made to ensure sustainable water sources,” the President said.
She made these remarks at the African Union (AU) Africa Water Investment Programme Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.
“For many years, we regarded water availability as a natural or normal phenomenon. Most countries in Africa, especially those with perennial rivers, took it for granted that access to water was as easy as walking to the river to fetch water. As such, allocating adequate funds to proper water infrastructure was not considered a top priority. Today, most countries, including Namibia, realise that water availability, security and access are central to economic growth and the development of our respective nations,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She further observed that climate change has exposed the fragility of what were once thought to be permanent water sources, many of which are now diminishing, underscoring the urgency for action.
“We should consider our delayed and limited investments in water and sanitation in terms of ‘better late than never’. Therefore, our gathering here today must re-energise our efforts to work towards improving access to clean water and sanitation,” the President said.
She drew attention to two AU documents, namely Africa’s Rising Investment Tide and the Africa Water Investment Action Plan, explaining that these provide guidelines for AU Member States, their development partners and the private sector on how to mobilise the additional US$30 billion per year required by 2030 for climate-resilient water and sustainable sanitation in Africa.
“Commitments should be made and resources should be mobilised with the aim of closing the water investment gap to ensure the effective implementation of the Africa Water Investment Programme High-Level Panel Investment Action Plan and the UN 2023 Water Action Agenda in Africa,” the President added.
Photo: Namibian Presidency
