Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa

Summary

Water is a fundamental resource, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Yet, global water resources are facing significant challenges, including in Africa, where about 411 million people, almost a third of the continent’s 1.4 billion population, lacked access to basic drinking water in 2020.  

Demand for freshwater is projected to exceed supply by 40 per cent by 2030, threatening the achievement of SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation for all, and other SDGs on food security, poverty, gender equality and peace. 

Tackling water scarcity due to excess demand and climate change will require a dramatic improvement in how Africa manages water resources. It will also require strategic planning, investment in resilient infrastructure, and policies that integrate climate adaptation into water management frameworks. 

Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) could provide solutions to ensure water security, sanitation, and sustainable development. However, this calls for coordinated, evidence-based dialogue and action. 

In this context, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), in collaboration with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and partners, are convening a webinar on “Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa.” 

The webinar aligns with the African Union’s 2026 theme: Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063. It further aligns with the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and specifically advances SDG 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 

The webinar provides a platform for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and partners to examine scalable science, technology, and innovation solutions, share best practices, and explore enabling policy and financing frameworks that can strengthen water security and sanitation service delivery across the continent.

The objectives of the webinar are:

• To contribute to a dynamic policy environment focused on scaling up Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation service delivery in Africa for sustainable development.
• To raise the awareness of African policymakers and the United Nations System on the importance of evidence-based STI Policies, innovative solutions, and climate action for water security, sanitation, and resilience. 
• To support the implementation of concrete, evidenced or science based STI and Innovative solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa.

As this is the first key event on this crucial topic in 2026, it sets the tone for major milestones centred around the theme throughout the rest of this year, including the Africa Dialogue Series 2026, the twelfth Africa Forum for Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12), the Fourth Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Second UN Water Conference. 

The event is co-organized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the OSAA Think Tank Network - African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), and Cellule d'Analyse de Politiques Economiques du Cires (CAPEC).

For more information kindly contact Jainaba Jobarteh, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) at jobarteh@un.org.

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