AWF Coordinator Samuel Blazyk joins Facility specialists as governments, utilities and financiers examine the reforms and project preparation needed to accelerate water and sanitation investment
Weak project preparation, fragile institutional systems and limited financing pathways continue to hold back priority water and sanitation investments across Africa.
The African Water Facility (AWF) is bringing its new strategy, project-preparation offer and 2026 funding opportunity into those discussions this week at the Africa Water and Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium in Kigali.
Samuel Blazyk, Coordinator of the African Water Facility, is participating alongside AWF specialists in project preparation, portfolio management and urban sanitation as the symposium brings governments, utilities, financiers, regulators and development partners together around investment readiness and stronger water and sanitation systems.
The AWF delegation will use the event to promote the AWF Strategy 2026–2030, raise awareness of the 2026 Call for Proposals, advance the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII) and develop partnerships around project preparation and financing.
For AWF, Kigali offers direct access to both sides of the investment challenge: African institutions with priority projects that still require preparation, and financing partners looking for credible opportunities capable of progressing towards implementation.
Project preparation enters the financing conversation
Hellen Njiwa, AWF Principal Monitoring, Evaluation and Project Portfolio Management Expert, will present the Facility’s 2026–2030 Strategy during the symposium’s Systems Reform and Investments Marketplace.
Her presentation addresses a problem that frequently arises before financing can be secured: projects may lack feasibility work, detailed design, environmental and social safeguards or financial structuring; institutions may require stronger governance and capacity; and potential investors may still lack a credible project, sponsor and risk allocation framework.
The Strategy responds by concentrating 70% of AWF resources on project preparation to catalyse investment, while 20% supports water and sanitation finance and investment and 10% strengthens AWF’s institutional performance.
AWF’s approach covers five areas of support: identifying investable opportunities, preparing projects, strengthening institutional and financial conditions, reducing investment risks and engaging financing partners earlier.
Under the new Strategy, AWF is targeting EUR 800 million in investment financing secured by 2030, a preparation-to-finance leverage ratio of 1:30, and financial close for 75% of AWF-prepared projects.
Njiwa will also use the session to engage utilities and public institutions on current project-preparation needs and discuss how AWF support can strengthen investment cases, institutional readiness and financing pathways. Her formal mission role includes promoting the Strategy and Call for Proposals and identifying new project-preparation opportunities through bilateral discussions.
EUR 1 million opportunity open to new projects
The discussions in Kigali coincide with AWF’s 2026 Call for Proposals, which remains open until 10 September 2026.
Selected projects may receive grants of up to EUR 1 million per project.
The Call targets investment-oriented water and sanitation projects where AWF support can address preparation gaps and improve prospects for subsequent financing. Eligible applicants include Regional Member Countries, eligible public institutions and implementing agencies, and regional and transboundary organisations, including basin organisations.
AWF will use the symposium to raise awareness of the Call among potential applicants and discuss projects that require preparation support.
The opportunity is particularly relevant to participants in the Systems Reform and Investments Marketplace, where utilities, public institutions, governments and financing organisations will discuss project pipelines, creditworthiness and investment constraints.
AUSII puts sanitation investment on the agenda
Urban sanitation will form another major component of AWF’s participation.
Christine Razanamahandry-Allanaissem, AWF Principal Sanitation Specialist, will represent AWF and the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative in two sessions focused on sanitation systems and finance.
She will participate in “Professionalising Africa’s Sanitation Sector: Building Climate Resilient Systems and Services”, where AWF will draw on diagnostic work undertaken through AUSII across 12 countries.
Razanamahandry-Allanaissem is also scheduled to pitch AUSII mechanisms and financing instruments during the session on Private and Concessional Finance for Sanitation at Scale, which brings utilities, governments, financiers, project-preparation facilities and development partners together to examine viable financing models for sanitation investment.
The Facility will use these discussions to identify sanitation project-preparation opportunities, potential financing partners and prospects for expanding the AUSII pipeline.
Kigali opens new partnership opportunities
Beyond the formal sessions, Blazyk and the AWF delegation will engage governments, development partners, financing institutions and other sector organisations around implementation of the Strategy, project-preparation demand, sanitation investment and future collaboration.
The symposium’s investment marketplace is particularly relevant to AWF because it creates direct interaction between project sponsors and organisations able to provide preparation support or finance.
AWF’s participation is therefore expected to generate new project opportunities, strengthen financing partnerships and connect eligible institutions with the Facility’s current funding window.
The Africa Water and Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium runs from 17 to 21 August 2026 at the Kigali Convention Centre.