ADS 2026, Week 2, Day 2

Week 2

Water and Sanitation as Drivers for Economic Transformation and Sustainable Urbanization

 

The image shows a map of Africa, a drum emitting sound waves and the words Africa Dialogue Series 2026

In Focus

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ADS 2026 Programme

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Day 2 – 12 May

Across today's interviews, Anacláudia Rossbach and Ibrah Wahabou stress that Africa’s rapidly growing urban population makes urgent investment in water and sanitation systems essential, requiring bold policy choices, careful planning, and large-scale infrastructure development. They emphasize that water is foundational not only to public health and livable cities but also to economic growth, with strategic investments yielding high returns and enabling industries, food systems, and productive urban economies to function.

UN-Habitat presents

Interview with Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat

In this interview, Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat speaks about the urgent need to strengthen water and sanitation systems in view of Africa's growing urban population. She calls for careful planning at both local and national government level to accommodate ballooning urban populations across the continent. Ms. Rossbach shares some ideas and calls for bold action to strengthen water and sanitation systems, as well as the required investments, policies and infrastructure.

 

AUDA-NEPAD presents

Ibrah Wahabou, Head of Infrastructure and Transport at AUDA-NEPAD on water and economic growth

In this interview, Ibrah Wahabou, Head of the Infrastructure and Transport Unit at AUDA-NEPAD, talks about the vital role of water and sanitation to economic growth and how every industry requires access to water. He stresses the importance of strategic investment in water and sanitation as they are foundational to Africa's economic growth. "When water works, everything around it works. Manufacturing, agro-processing, food systems and productive cities," he says, emphasizing the centrality of water to every industry. As Africa's urban population balloons, it will be necessary to invest in water and sanitation, which already fall short. Every dollar invested in water infrastructure generates up to $7 in economic returns. He proposes a three-point strategy for improving water infrastructure and access to water and sanitation across the continent.