Sustainable water management key to Africa's dev't: AU official

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- With over 400 million people across Africa lacking adequate water, sustainable water management is essential for realizing key continental development aspirations, a senior African Union (AU) official has said.

Moses Vilakati, AU commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment, made the remarks on Thursday while addressing the media on the sidelines of the ongoing 39th AU Summit at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.

Highlighting a "persistent gap between required and available investment on water and sanitation" across Africa, Vilakati underscored the significance of the AU's 2026 theme of "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063."

"It is estimated that over 400 million people in the African continent lack water for their daily livelihood, and over 800 million still lack basic hygiene services. Compounding this is the persistent gap between required and available investment in water and sanitation," Vilakati told reporters.

He said this year's focus on water and sanitation "reflects a collective recognition of the strategic importance of water and sanitation as an essential element of human security, social stability, and economic transformation on the continent, further supported by a strong political commitment at the highest level."

He highlighted an annual shortfall of approximately 30 billion U.S. dollars to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure clean water and adequate sanitation for all by 2030.

"There is no life without water, and no development is possible without water. Water connects all development sectors, serving as an essential resource for agriculture, energy, industry as well as the natural environment," he said.

According to the commissioner, as part of this year's focus on water and sanitation, the AU Commission has developed a roadmap that aims to catalyze transformative change in Africa's water and sanitation sector, outlining various key areas of action across governance and policies, political commitment, financing and investment, and capacity building. Enditem