By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame in Dar es Salam
Africa is experiencing water crisis with scientists saying there is strong evidence of decreased water flow and water quality in many countries.
Scientists, researchers and drivers of water policy have also warned that continued population and economic growth, combined with climate change, could result in serious water shortages in some parts of the continent by 2025. These challenges are coming at a time many African countries are mapping pathways towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is against this backdrop that the African water ministers attending the sixth edition of the Africa water week have called for increased self-driven innovative approach to addressing the water challenges. According to the ministers, the flagship water event on the continent which began today at the Juliu Nyerere Internationational conference centre in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, provides the unique opportunity to explore pathways of addressing water challenges.
“We need new ideas and self driven approaches to addressing the issues of water in Africa,” noted Engr. Gerson H Lwenge, Tazanian minister of water and irrigation, at the opening of the conference on Monday July 18,2016. In a pre-conference statement, African water ministers under the auspices of African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW ) said there was a range of actions – besides investments into large inter-basin transfer schemes – that could be taken to improve the prospects for quality water supply and quality.
The President of AMCOW and Senegalese hydraulic and sanitation minister, Hon Amadou Mansour Faye, the Executive Secretary, Bai Mass Taal and other high-level Speakers at the opening of the conference emphasized the need to better address issues related to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6 and other inter-related goals with emphasis on new approaches adapted to the African reality. “The SDGs is all about using local initiatives by both the private sector and the government working together,” Mr Taal noted.
Water resources is vital in realizing these goals,” says H.E Mwai Kibaki former President of Kenya and UNESCO Special Envoy on Water in Africa at the conference plenary.
Thematic focus
With the theme “achieving the SDGs on Water Security and Sanitation,” the 6th Africa Water Week aspires to lay the building blocks for Africa to achieve the SDG-6 as well as other inter-linking SDGs connected with water resources management and improved sanitation service delivery. It also represents the quest in the continent to place emphasis on matching commitments and plans with concrete actions with impact on the ground.
It highlights Africa’s undaunted focus on achieving the Agenda 2063, the continent’s global strategy to optimize use of Africa’s resources for the overall benefit of all. The four sub themes of the AWW-6 revolve round achieving universal and equitable access to water and sanitation for all, and ensuring sustainable water resources management and climate resilience. Others are strengthening productive waste water management and improved water quality improving policy, financing and monitoring.
Part of the desired outcome for the conference is the adoption of a roadmap for developing a comprehensive action plan for Africa aimed at translating high-level commitments including N’gor Declaration on Water Security and Sanitation into implementation at country, sub-regional and continental levels.
The biennial water conference brings over 1000 participants from governments, regional institutions, international partners, the private sector, the scientific community, civil society and the media from all over the world.
The Africa Water Week represents a political commitment at the highest level for creating platform to discuss and collectively seek solutions to Africa’s water and sanitation challenges. It is organised by the African Minister’s Council on Water (AMCOW) in collaboration with the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission alongside regional and international partners.
The conference holds in line with the decision of the AMCOW Governing Council to institutionalize the Africa water week series as a way of building momentum on achieving the Africa Water Vision 2025. It equally represents AMCOW’s belief that effective and efficient management of water resources leads to the provision of adequate and equitable access to safe water and sanitation as well as makes a critical contribution to Africa’s progress towards sustainable growth and development.
The Africa Water Week series began in Tunis, Tunisia in 2008. Since then, the conference has been held in Midrand, South Africa in 2009, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2010, Cairo, Egypt in 2012 and Dakar, Senegal in 2014 featuring an assemblage of international and regional organizations and the scientific community, as well as exhibitors from various sectors engaged in the sustainable management of Africa’s water resources and delivery of safe water and improved sanitation.
