Week 1
A Strategic Asset Management Approach to Africa’s Water and Sanitation Resources
Day 2 – 5 May
Today, the expert interviews bring the theme “A strategic asset management approach to Africa’s water resources” to life by grounding it in real-world perspectives and policy debates. Together, they illuminate water not only as a pressing development challenge, but as a strategic economic and political asset whose effective management is critical to Africa’s future. By featuring voices from international finance, national leadership, and continental policy expertise, the interviews aim to deepen understanding, raise awareness, and stimulate informed discussion on how strategic water asset management can unlock investment, resilience, and inclusive growth across the continent.
The African Union Commission presents
AUC Commissioner Moses Vilakati on Water: The Common Denominator in Solving Africa’s Challenges
Commissioner Moses Vilakati of the African Union Commission's Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) department , speaks of water, the common denominator in resolving the challenges to Africa's food security, industry, economic growth and development. Africa’s food insecurity stems largely from its dependence on rainfed agriculture, underdeveloped irrigation, and underutilization of vast land and water resources, resulting in an annual food import bill of about US$100 billion. Despite being surrounded by oceans, the continent produces only around 2% of global fish, highlighting missed opportunities in the blue economy. Water is central to solving these challenges, as it underpins reliable, year‑round agriculture and is also essential for energy generation, which Africa needs to drive productivity, industrialisation, and economic transformation. He emphasises that digital transformation is a key pathway to modernising agriculture and attracting Africa’s youth, who favour technology‑driven approaches over traditional labour-intensive farming. Tools such as drip irrigation, greenhouses, remote sensing, and aquaponics can significantly boost productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. In particular, digitally managed aquaponics—combining fish farming and crop production—offers an innovative, water‑efficient system that can enhance food security while creating attractive, modern agricultural opportunities for young people.
The African Development Bank presents
Funding Africa's Water Future | Bloomberg Next Africa
This edition of Next Africa explores how water is fast becoming the continent's defining constraint. With demand rising alongside population growth, supply of potable water is struggling to keep up. Bloomberg's Jennifer Zabasajja speaks with lenders including the World Bank and the African Development Bank, who say closing the gap will require faster reforms and far greater investment. Plus, we head to Lesotho, where vast highland water projects are supplying South Africa and generating hundreds of millions in revenue. And in Johannesburg, shortages are turning water into a political flashpoint ahead of municipal elections. Mayoral candidate Helen Zille explains why fixing the city's failing infrastructure must be a top priority.
The Economic Commission for Africa presents
Water as a Strategic Asset in Africa’s Development
In this interview, Thandile Gule, a Fellow in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)'s Climate Change, Food Security and Natural Resource Division (CFND), addresses fundamental questions about water as a strategic asset. She discusses the importance of water as a strategic asset in Africa's development agenda. Gule talks about how the continent can address impediments to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" by 2030. She highlights how better management of water systems can unlock economic benefits such as job creation.