South Africa – The inaugural Africa Water Investment Summit is taking place in Cape Town under the G20 presidency.
The project aims to mobilize at least 30 billion dollars to close the water investment gap across the continent.
The conference is organized in collaboration with the African Union (AU), the AU Development Agency, and the African Union-Africa Water Investment Program (AU-AIP) International High-Level Panel on Water Investments.
The event, which will continue until Friday, will be attended by African heads of state, G20 representatives, investors, ministers, and development institutions.
RAMAPHOSA’S OPENING SPEECH
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa summarized the goals of the conference in his opening speech:
“This summit is a landmark not only for Africa but also for the global movement for access to safe water for all.”
“The launch of the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments will transform the AIP into a global water investment platform.”
“The Global Outlook Council and the Global Water Investment Platform will serve as the world’s leading high-level political and investment platform on water.”
GOALS OF THE SUMMIT AND PROJECTS
Ramaphosa stated that the summit aims to endorse a summit declaration committing to increase investments, improve governance in the water sector, and enhance accountability.
In addition, he emphasized the goal of showcasing 80 water projects from 38 countries and positioning water at the highest levels of the global political agenda.
During the summit, participants will have the opportunity to present various projects and ideas.