Stakeholders from West Africa convened in Abuja for a ministerial and technical consultation on the Africa Water Vision 2063. The meeting, organised under the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) in collaboration with Nigeria's Federal Government, aims to develop the first implementation plan for 2026 to 2033. The framework seeks to align regional water and sanitation priorities with Agenda 2063, focusing on actionable goals, financing mechanisms, and institutional structures. Nigeria's Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, declared the session open on Tuesday, describing the continent as being at a critical juncture in water development. He highlighted Africa's abundant water resources and innovation potential despite growing pressures from urbanisation and climate variability.
Utsev noted that Nigeria hosts the AMCOW Secretariat and reaffirmed the country's commitment to water security under the Renewed Hope Agenda. The Africa Water Vision 2063 was launched at the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa as a "bold, transformative and forward-looking framework." Dr Mukaila Babarinde, Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee, said the consultation marks a milestone in turning policy into action, urging a practical, inclusive, and evidence-based plan. Nelson Gomonda, an AMCOW official, called the vision's adoption a historic step, the first time since 2008 that water and sanitation have been prioritised at this continental level. He stressed the need for national implementation plans to ensure accountability. Kouassi Alexis, Director of ECOWAS' Water Resources Management Centre, said the regional body is reviewing its 2008 water policy and will host a water forum in Abidjan before the 2026 UN Water Conference. Nyambe warned of severe water and sanitation deficits in informal settlements and fast-growing cities.
Prof. Joseph Utsev speaks of a "defining moment" for Africa's water future while Nigeria's cities still grapple with daily water shortages and broken sanitation systems. The same minister touting a 2063 vision for water security oversees a sector where basic access remains out of reach for millions of Nigerians named in no plan but living the crisis now. If the Renewed Hope Agenda includes water, its impact has yet to reach taps, toilets or treatment plants in Abuja or beyond. A continent rich in water assets should not have its people queuing for boreholes in 2024.
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