At the invitation of Hon. Pemmy Majodina, Minister of Water and Sanitation of South Africa, GWP presented on the outcomes of the African Union – Africa Water Investment Programme (AU–AIP) Africa Water Investment Summit, held in August 2025 in Cape Town. This presentation marked a key step in the roadmap from the Cape Town Summit to the G20 Global Outlook Council on Water Investments, which seeks to mobilise global political leadership and financing for water investments.
GWP’s contribution was complemented by the participation of Water Sweden, a new initiative launched by GWP in collaboration with Nordic Business Services (NBS). Water Sweden connects Swedish expertise, innovation, and finance with partners across Africa, Asia, and Latin America to accelerate sustainable water investments and promote technology transfer.
In his presentation, Mr. Simalabwi underscored Africa’s progress in developing a USD 10–12 billion pipeline of bankable water and sanitation investments through the Global Water Investment Platform (GIP), while highlighting the need for coordinated partnerships among governments, financiers, and the private sector.
“The Dialogue provides a vital opportunity to sustain the momentum generated by the AU–AIP Africa Water Investment Summit,” said Mr. Simalabwi. “Through initiatives like Water Sweden and our growing partnerships across regions, the Global Water Partnership is working to transform political commitments into concrete investments that deliver jobs, resilience, and sustainable growth.”
Building on this message, Mr. Simalabwi reflected on the broader continental and global roadmap now taking shape — from the AU–AIP Summit in Cape Town, through AWSISA in Johannesburg, and into the G20 Water track. He highlighted how the momentum generated in Cape Town has triggered engagements with global partners at World Water Week in Stockholm, UN General Assembly in New York, and the upcoming G20 Social Summit, ensuring that African priorities shape international water investment agendas.
A key milestone he highlighted was the emerging Global De-Risking Facility, currently being designed in partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and other global partners. This facility will bring much-needed guarantees to unlock private-sector capital, enable public–private partnerships, and support blended-finance initiatives across Africa and the Global South.
Mr. Simalabwi also emphasised the regional momentum Africa is inspiring worldwide — including efforts by Latin America and the Caribbean to launch their own water investment programme, modelled on the AU–AIP, as well as preparations leading to the 2026 African Union Summit, the UN preparatory meeting in Senegal, and the World Water Forum in Saudi Arabia.
He concluded with a strong call for accountability, stressing that the outcomes of AWSISA, the AU–AIP Summit, and the G20 process must be fully integrated into upcoming high-level platforms to ensure leaders “continue to follow through on their commitments and translate promises into real investment.”
Through their participation, GWP and Water Sweden reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening collaboration between the Global South and Nordic regions, leveraging innovation, finance, and policy leadership to accelerate water and sanitation investments worldwide.
“Water Sweden is proud to bring Swedish expertise and innovation to the AWSISA Dialogue, showcasing technologies that can help accelerate sustainable water and sanitation solutions across Africa and the Global South. By working together with Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria, we aim to strengthen partnerships, facilitate knowledge exchange, and open opportunities for Swedish companies to contribute to resilient and inclusive water management in the region.”
— Hanna Doller, Nordic Business Services, Water Sweden
The AWSISA Africa & Global South Water & Sanitation Dialogue serves as a key platform for policy leaders, practitioners, and researchers to share insights and advance collective action toward universal water and sanitation access.
About the Global Water Partnership (GWP):
The Global Water Partnership is an international network of over 2800 Partners that advances integrated water resources management and mobilises partnerships to foster water security and climate resilience globally.
About Water Sweden:
Water Sweden is an initiative of the Global Water Partnership and Nordic Business Services (NBS), designed to mobilise Swedish innovation, finance, and expertise for global water investments and foster partnerships with countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.