The inaugural Africa Water Investment Summit 2025, convened under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AU) and the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), has generated preliminary investment pipelines amounting to USD 10–12 billion annually.
Held from 13 to 15 August in Cape Town, South Africa, the Summit drew more than 1,700 participants, including 20 African water ministers, Heads of State and Government representatives, financiers, multilateral development institutions, civil society, and academic leaders.
These pledges — made by governments, development banks, bilateral partners, and private investors — reflect commitments to the pipeline of bankable water and sanitation projects showcased during the Summit. The total excludes further pledges expected to be added via an online portal established for ongoing contributions.
The Summit outcomes include the adoption of the Cape Town Declaration on Africa Water Investment, which underscores Africa’s urgent need to close a USD 30 billion annual financing gap in water and sanitation.
In a landmark development, the Summit also launched the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments, established as a G20 Presidential Legacy Initiative under South Africa’s G20 Presidency. This Council will serve as a high-level platform to track progress, align financing flows, and advance water investment globally. :
President Cyril Ramaphosa, presiding over the Summit, remarked:
This Summit is a landmark moment not only for Africa, but for the global movement for access to safe water for all. If we rise together, water can become not just a means of survival but a driver of economic transformation, innovation and peace.
Commissioner Moses Vilakati of the AU emphasised the need for systemic change:
The Summit Declaration commits us to scaling up investment, improving governance, and increasing accountability in the water sector.
South Africa’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, Hon. Pemmy Majodina, thanked investors for their pledges and urged faster, more decisive implementation to transform Africa’s water infrastructure.
The Summit also recognised leadership through the Presidential Global Water Changemakers Awards, honouring governments and figures that have delivered exemplary action in water investments.
As the Summit closes, stakeholders emphasise that pledges must now be transformed into tangible projects through improved governance, enhanced capacity, data systems, and regulatory reform. The Summit provides key momentum ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, to be hosted by the Governments of Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.
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