Deputy Secretary-General's video message to the Africa Water and Sanitation Conference

Excellencies, Distinguished guests, I am pleased to join you for the opening of the Africa Water and Sanitation Conference. We meet at a time of great urgency. The world is alarmingly off-track to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene services for all by 2030. The planetary crisis of climate change is making the situation even worse, increasing water scarcity. And when water and sanitation are lacking, it is the poorest and most vulnerable who suffer most — including women and girls, whose health, education and work opportunities are severely affected. And in sub-Saharan Africa, about 70 per cent of people lack access to safe drinking water. A basic need for life itself. Ladies and gentlemen, business as usual is no longer an option. We face a difficult truth — the world will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without urgent progress on access to water, sanitation and hygiene services in Africa. I see three priorities for action: First, we must promote water security for all. This includes transboundary water cooperation, which can help build peace and prevent conflicts. To achieve this, I encourage all governments to accede, implement and comply with the two global UN Water Conventions. Second, climate change adaptation efforts should focus on increasing the resilience of water systems in Africa. Next year’s COP27 in Egypt will provide an important opportunity to advance these efforts, including ensuring that donors and development banks dedicate 50 per cent of climate finance to adaptation. Third, we need to scale-up finance for water and sanitation in Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the annual investment required to meet SDG6 has been estimated at $35 billion per year. In North Africa, the amount is $4 billion per year. But the economic benefits of sanitation far outweigh these costs — by an estimated five times. Across all of these areas of work, the UN is committed to working shoulder-to-shoulder with the African Union’s members to bridge the gap on water and sanitation in Africa. As we embark upon the Decade of Action for Sustainable Development, let’s re-commit to ensuring that every person in Africa can benefit from water and sanitation. As a basic human right. And as a necessary foundation of health and prosperity for communities and countries across Africa. Thank you.