Cairo, Egypt, 27 October 2026 – The African Water Facility launched its Strategy 2026–2030 at Cairo Water Week on Tuesday, with a call for African countries to take a greater role in financing the preparation of priority water and sanitation projects and for stronger partnerships with development financiers and the private sector.
The high-level Advocacy and Call for Support Event brought together African governments, the African Development Bank, development partners and other stakeholders around a central challenge: how to turn Africa’s water and sanitation priorities into projects that are ready for financing and implementation.
H.E. Prof. Dr Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Chair of the African Water Facility Governing Council, said Africa’s growing population and increasing water challenges require faster investment in water and sanitation services.
“Africa’s water security cannot depend on external financing alone. African countries must take a stronger role in financing the preparation of their own priority water and sanitation investments. The new African Water Facility Strategy provides a practical mechanism to turn the ambitions of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy into well-prepared projects that can attract public and private investment,” he said.
Prof. Sewilam highlighted the importance of project preparation in addressing one of the barriers to water investment in Africa. Feasibility studies, technical designs and other preparatory work are often required before governments and financiers can move projects towards construction.
The African Water Facility has approved 152 projects since its establishment and provided around EUR 220 million in grants. Its support has helped mobilise more than EUR 1.9 billion in downstream financing and contributed to improved access to safe water for more than 51 million people and sanitation services for around 19 million people.
The new Strategy builds on this experience, with a stronger focus on preparing investment-ready projects, mobilising public and private finance, strengthening national institutions and expanding private-sector participation.
The Strategy supports implementation of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, which provides a continental framework for water security, sustainable management of water resources and stronger regional cooperation.
It is also aligned with the African Development Bank Group’s Four Cardinal Points: unlock Africa’s capital power, rebuild Africa’s financial sovereignty, turn demographics into dividends, and build resilient infrastructure and competitive value chains. AWF’s focus on project preparation and investment mobilisation contributes particularly to unlocking African capital and developing resilient infrastructure that can deliver lasting water and sanitation services.
From project preparation to investment
The Cairo launch placed particular emphasis on strengthening African contributions to the Facility while maintaining partnerships with traditional and emerging development partners.
Private-sector participation is also expected to play a larger role under the new Strategy, particularly as projects move beyond preparation towards financing and implementation.
The German Water Partnership, a network of more than 300 companies, associations, research institutions and other organisations, expressed support for the Strategy, highlighting opportunities to connect African water projects with private-sector expertise, technology and investment.
Samuel Blazyk, Acting Coordinator of the African Water Facility, and Simon Wreford, the Facility’s resource mobilisation Advisor, represented AWF at the launch. Their participation formed part of the Facility’s wider engagement with African governments, development partners and financing institutions to broaden the partnerships and resources needed to implement the new Strategy.
The launch also builds on recent AWF resource mobilisation efforts, including engagement with African governments and development partners and new support from Germany.
Prof. Sewilam said Egypt, during its 2025–2027 chairmanship of the African Water Facility Governing Council, would continue efforts to mobilise financing, broaden partnerships and encourage stronger African support for the Facility.
The Strategy launch took place during the 9th Cairo Water Week, held from 25–29 October under the theme “Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity, and a Sustainable Planet.”
Beyond the Strategy launch, the African Development Bank’s Water Development and Sanitation Department is participating in meetings with financing institutions and private-sector actors and in the International Water, Waste and Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Cairo.
These engagements are also contributing to preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference and the 2027 World Water Forum.
For the African Water Facility, the Cairo launch marks a shift from presenting the Strategy to building the partnerships, financing and project pipeline required to put it into practice.