The inaugural Africa Water Investment Summit kicked off today at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, convened by South Africa under its G20 presidency and co-organized with the African Union, the AU Development Agency, and the AU-Africa Water Investment Programme’s International High-Level Panel on Water Investments.
In his opening address, President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed the summit as a “landmark moment not only for Africa, but for the global movement for access to safe water for all.” He launched the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments, a G20 legacy initiative designed to scale the AU-AIP into a Global Water Investment Platform serving as the world’s premier high-level political and investment forum on water.
Ramaphosa outlined four key ambitions for the summit:
- Endorse a declaration committing to ramp up investments, strengthen governance and accountability in the water sector
- Showcase a pipeline of 80 priority water projects from 38 African countries
- Facilitate matchmaking between governments, financiers and development partners
- Elevate water security to the highest levels of the global political and financial agenda
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon joined via video link, urging delegates to seize this opportunity to transform water from a crisis sector into one of opportunity and innovation.
Key takeaways
- Summit dates: August 13–15, 2025
- Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
- Investment goal: Mobilize at least USD 30 billion per year to close Africa’s water gap
- Theme: Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability under South Africa’s G20 presidency
- Participants: African heads of state, G20 representatives, investors, ministers, development institutions
Summit at a glance
| Conveners | Dates | Venue | Main Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of South Africa (G20 Presidency) | Aug. 13–15, 2025 | Cape Town International Convention Centre | Accelerate investments in climate-resilient water and sanitation projects across Africa |
Over the next two days, delegates will engage in high-level dialogues, project matchmaking sessions and work toward a Declaration on Water Investments to be adopted at the summit’s conclusion. The declaration aims to translate today’s political commitments into concrete financing deals that will secure safe, sustainable water access for communities continent-wide.
The newly launched Global Outlook Council on Water Investments will guide the shift from fragmented efforts to a coordinated global push, aligning G20, UN, multilateral development banks and private-sector resources behind Africa’s water security goals.
Tomorrow’s sessions will also explore how to leverage emerging technologies, strengthen regulatory frameworks and forge public-private partnerships that ensure every drop counts for the continent’s 1.4 billion people.
