Africa Has the Water. Now It Needs the Investment.
African leaders and the World Bank are convening to address the continent's water infrastructure deficit, which currently leaves millions without safe water or sanitation. The summit aims to frame water management as a foundational element for economic growth and job creation.
Why it matters
Improving water infrastructure is essential for Africa's long-term economic development, food security, and climate resilience as the population continues to grow.
Mahamat Idriss, Déby Itno and Anna Bjerde
The continent has a water opportunity; what is missing is not the water, but the infrastructure, institutions, and financing needed to transform water into jobs, growth, food security, and resilience.
Africa has seen its population grow from 800 million to 1.3 billion over the past two decades, but the availability of clean, safe water across the continent hasn’t kept pace.
More than 400 million people in the region still lack access to safe drinking water, and more than 700 million have no access to basic sanitation.
Recognizing the urgent need to advance on this issue, the government of Chad and the World Bank Group are hosting a summit this week to discuss what it will take—from governments, development partners, and the private sector—to accelerate progress at scale.
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