UAE and Senegal Strengthen Partnership on Water Investment in Africa Ahead of 2026 UN Water Conference

Today at the Africa Water Investment Summit, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal, as co-hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference, in partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, Children Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC), co-hosted the high-level session “Financing Africa’s Water Future: Catalysing Investment and Partnerships on the Road to the 2026 UN Water Conference.”

From August 13-15, Heads of State, ministers, development finance institutions, private investors, project developers and civil society representatives convened in Cape Town to tackle the USD 6.7 trillion investment gap to 2030 and the USD 22.6 trillion gap to 2050 for climate-resilient water infrastructure globally.

Africa mobilizes just USD 10–19 billion annually against its USD 30 billion target for water infrastructure, an opportunity for innovative financing models and public–private–philanthropic partnerships to bridge the gap.

Against this backdrop, and within the context of its G20 Presidency, South Africa hosted the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit to mobilize climate-resilient water and sanitation investments that advance water security, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent.

The Summit represents a key milestone on the road to the 2026 UN Water Conference, following last months adoption of its six interactive dialogue themes, by consensus. The themes place a particular emphasis on “Investments for water: Financing, technology and innovation, and capacity building”, positioning the Summit in Cape Town as a critical input to the preparatory process.

The session started by the co-hosts highlighting the political will needed to accelerate water investments in Africa and globally. 

H.E Abdulla Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, said “With all 193 Member States having just agreed last month, by consensus, on the themes for the 2026 UN Water Conference, the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit comes at exactly the right moment. It is a vital platform to advance one of those priorities — ‘Investments for Water’ — by driving the financing, innovation, and partnerships needed to deliver results for Africa and the world.” 

Setting the stage for Africa’s future prosperity, AUDA-NEPAD’s leader underscored water’s foundational role:
“Affordable and reliable water access is the foundation upon which Africa’s prosperity will be built,” said Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD. “At AUDA-NEPAD, we see every investment in water as an investment in health, stability, and economic growth. We continue building strong partnerships and unlocking innovative finance, to turn Africa’s vast demand and potential into tangible solutions that safeguard communities today and create sustainable futures for generations to come.”

Participants then turned to four core themes, exploring concrete solutions:
• Showcasing scalable financing models such as blended finance, concessional loans and guarantees tailored for water infrastructure
• Identifying policy, regulatory and technical barriers hindering private investment and exploring solutions to de-risk projects
• Improving bankability and pipeline readiness through standardized metrics, data transparency and aggregation platforms
• Shaping the “Investments for Water” theme for the 2026 UN Water Conference interactive dialogue on financing, technology and capacity-building

Turning to the design of financing mechanisms, CIFF emphasized partnership with governments:
“To close the water financing gap in Africa, it is essential that we design investment mechanisms alongside African governments,” said Richard Matikanya, Deputy Executive Director of CIFF Africa. “When national priorities shape the agenda from the outset, capital flows to the projects with the greatest need and the strongest local support. This is how we ensure lasting impact.”

Finally, GCFC’s CEO looked ahead to the 2026 UN Water Conference:
“GCFC is honoured to be supporting on the water finance track for the 2026 UN Water Conference,” said Mercedes Vela Monserrate, CEO of GCFC. “In the lead-up to the Conference, we will translate today’s dialogue into actionable steps that mobilize private and philanthropic capital and deliver water solutions across Africa and other emerging markets.”

As part of their inclusive, transparent, and extensive consultation process, the UAE and Senegal also used this plenary session to gather stakeholder perspectives on tangible recommendations and deliverables to accelerate water investments in Africa, with the aim of showcasing these at the 2026 UN Water Conference. 
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About African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD)
The African Union Development Agency-NEPAD is the technical body of the African Union. The mandate of AUDA-NEPAD is to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of regional and continental priority programmes and projects and to push for partnerships, resource mobilisation, research and knowledge management. Through AUDA-NEPAD, African countries are provided unique opportunities to take full control of their development agenda, to work more closely together and to cooperate more effectively with international partners.

About the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
CIFF is an independent philanthropy working with partners to build a world where children are healthy, safe and have opportunities - and in turn, a world that is prosperous and secure for everyone.

Alongside governments and multilaterals, to NGOs, academics and the private sector, we invest in and scale solutions that work. Together, we are creating large-scale change which is locally owned and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC)
Launched at COP28, the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC) is based in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the UAE’s international financial centre. Established in partnership with leading global institutions, GCFC aims to position the UAE as a premier hub for climate investment. The Centre drives accountability for COP28 initiatives, mobilizing capital and advancing climate technologies to support green and transition projects in emerging markets. Through partnerships and innovative de-risking strategies, robust finance mechanisms, and high-integrity carbon markets, GCFC delivers scalable solutions to global climate challenges.