With water insecurity threatening economic stability and public health across Africa, leaders and partners are intensifying efforts to close the continent’s water infrastructure funding gap. The urgency is clear: Africa mobilizes only $10–19 billion annually, short of the $30 billion needed.

At the Africa Water Investment Summit in Cape Town, the UAE and the Republic of Senegal—co-hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference—joined AUDA-NEPAD, CIFF, GWP, and GCFC in convening a high-level session titled “Financing Africa’s Water Future: Catalysing Investment and Partnerships on the Road to the 2026 UN Water Conference.”

Held under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the summit focused on accelerating climate-resilient water and sanitation investments to support sustainable development and economic growth. It followed the recent consensus adoption of the 2026 UN Water Conference themes, including “Investments for Water: Financing, Technology and Innovation, and Capacity Building.”

“With all 193 Member States having just agreed last month, by consensus, on the themes for the 2026 UN Water Conference, the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit comes at exactly the right moment,” said Abdulla Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. “It is a vital platform to advance… ‘Investments for Water’.”

“Affordable and reliable water access is the foundation upon which Africa’s prosperity will be built,” said Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD.

CIFF’s Richard Matikanya stressed: “To close the water financing gap in Africa, it is essential that we design investment mechanisms alongside African governments.” “GCFC is honoured to be supporting the water finance track for the 2026 UN Water Conference,” added CEO Mercedes Vela Monserrate.

The session explored financing models, de-risking strategies, and pipeline development. It also provided a platform for the UAE and Senegal to gather stakeholder input to help shape concrete deliverables for the 2026 Conference.