Week 1
A Strategic Asset Management Approach to Africa’s Water and Sanitation Resources
Day 1 – 4 May
The Africa Dialogue Series 2026 kicks off this week, with discussions focused on the sub-theme: “A Strategic Asset Management Approach to Africa’s Water Resources.” The African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) set the tone for this crucial discussion through documentary videos focused on the sub-theme.
ECA presents
ECA to mobilize African cities to join Quality of Life Initiative
Africa’s cities are growing faster than anywhere else in the world. While urban areas should offer opportunity, many residents face daily challenges, limited access to clean water, inadequate housing, unreliable transport, and economic inequality. The Quality of Life Initiative, led by UN-Habitat, is working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and other regional commissions, to change this. The Initiative collects local insights and data to help city leaders make informed decisions that improve well-being. This year, ECA is mobilizing stakeholders in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe to leverage data-driven urban planning and voluntary local reviews to improve quality of life. Learn more about how data-driven planning is shaping the future of African cities: https://www.uneca.org/quality-of-life...
"Prioritizing the sustainability and the environemental resilience part" Raquel Frederick - SROCA
Cameroon’s Blue Economy Week spotlighted the strategic potential of the country’s marine and coastal resources as a catalyst for sustainable economic transformation. Preliminary data highlight the sector’s growing significance: the blue economy already contributes 5.8% to national GDP and supports around 3% of total employment in Cameroon, while the value of ecosystem services—often overlooked natural benefits—is estimated at CFAF 22.6 trillion, underscoring the scale of its economic and environmental value. The initiative began on 24 January along the shores of Douala, Limbe and Buea, where ECA joined 500 young volunteers in the fourth annual Cameroon Beach Clean-up.
East African Community Blue Economy Strategy and Action Plan Regional Validation Workshop (1)
The Sub-Regional Office of Eastern Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA SRO-EA) serves 14 Eastern African countries, namely: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. One of the thematic areas of specialization of the agency is blue economy. The EAC Blue Economy Strategy and Action Plan will serve to strengthen regional cooperation and coordination mechanisms for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable management of the aquatic resources in the region.
African Development Bank presents
Kenya: Thwake Multipurpose Dam helps school, community
The Thwake Multi-purpose Dam, constructed by Kenya’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), has improved access to water and sanitation for communities in the country’s Makueni district and surrounding areas.
Benefits of the dam, which spans the greater lower eastern areas of Makueni, Kathonzweni, Mbooni East and lower Yatta districts, include water supply for domestic and industrial use, hydropower, and irrigation. Other benefits include fishing, eco-tourism, and improved sanitation and hygiene.
This video highlights how the lives of school children and members of the community have improved since the dam’s construction.
Lesotho: Restoring Dignity Through Water and Sanitation
This video, about the African Development Bank- funded Lesotho Rural Water and Sanitation Project, illustrates how access to water can transform lives.
When the African Development Bank's initiative reached these communities, it didn't merely install infrastructure – it unleashed potential.
The project has delivered remarkable results: 190 kilometres of pipeline to distribution networks, water storage reservoirs with a total capacity of 3.48 million litres, and 166 public water points serving approximately 28,266 people across eight zones in Maseru and Berea districts.
Ghana: Greater Accra Sustainable Sanitation and Livelihoods Improvement Project
The Greater Accra Sustainable Sanitation and Livelihood Improvement Project (GASSLIP) has enhanced sanitation in parts of Accra, Ghana, benefiting almost 261 million people across the city’s low-income urban areas.
The project focuses on sustainable household and school sanitation and hygiene, improved waste management infrastructure and services, transforming wastewater from nearby institutions into treated water safe water for irrigation and fish farming.
L’eau en Tunisie : agir aujourd’hui pour demain
Cette vidéo montre comment la Tunisie s'engage à améliorer l'accès à l'eau et à l'assainissement durables, en particulier dans les zones rurales, dans le cadre de sa Stratégie nationale de l'eau à l'horizon 2050. Elle souligne l'urgence d'intégrer la gestion des ressources en eau dans les plans nationaux de développement à long terme afin d'atténuer les effets du changement climatique et d'assurer la durabilité.
Water in Tunisia: acting today for tomorrow
This video shows how Tunisia is investing in improving access to sustainable water and sanitation improvements, especially in rural areas, through its National Water Strategy 2050. It highlights the urgency of integrating water resource management into long-term national development plans to mitigate climate impacts and ensure sustainability.