SA to Champion African Water Priorities at UN Water Conference Preparatory Meeting in Dakar

The High-Level Preparatory Meeting, taking place from 26 to 27 January 2025, will help set the strategic direction for the UN Water Conference scheduled for December 2026.

 

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina will represent South Africa at a high-level international meeting in Dakar, Senegal, as global preparations intensify for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.

The High-Level Preparatory Meeting, taking place from 26 to 27 January 2025, will help set the strategic direction for the UN Water Conference scheduled for December 2026. The meeting is expected to shape global priorities, commitments and partnerships aimed at accelerating universal access to safe water and dignified sanitation.

South Africa to Co-Host Investment Roundtable

A key highlight of the Dakar engagement will be a ministerial roundtable discussion on “Investments for Water: Financing, technology and innovation, and capacity-building”, which South Africa will co-host with France.

The roundtable will focus on unlocking sustainable financing, technological innovation and institutional capacity to address Africa’s growing water and sanitation challenges.

“South Africa will lead this discussion on behalf of the African continent and will use the platform to advocate for increased investment in water and sanitation programmes that strengthen climate resilience, support economic growth and advance human development,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said in a statement on Friday.

Building on African Momentum

The Dakar meeting builds on momentum generated by the Africa Water Investment Summit, held in Cape Town last year, where African ministers, financiers, investors and development partners committed to narrowing the continent’s water and sanitation investment gap.

The Department said the Dakar discussions are expected to serve as a critical bridge between continental commitments and the evolving global water agenda.

Water, the department emphasised, is not only a natural resource for South Africa, but a foundation for public health, food security, energy generation, job creation and human dignity.

Yet across Africa, millions continue to face water scarcity, ageing infrastructure, climate shocks and limited access to finance for critical water services.

“By participating in the High-Level Preparatory Meeting, Minister Majodina is working to ensure that African priorities translate into concrete investments and long-term solutions,” the department said.

Shaping the Global Water Agenda

The Dakar meeting aims to produce a shared roadmap towards the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates. Outcomes from the meeting are expected to influence the global water agenda and feed into several high-level international forums throughout the year.

South Africa views the engagement as an opportunity to:

• Strengthen strategic international partnerships;

• Amplify African voices in global decision-making; and

• Ensure that preparations for the 2026 conference are firmly grounded in the continent’s realities, ambitions and development needs.

Comprehensive Programme of Engagements

During the Dakar visit, Minister Majodina will participate in high-level political dialogues, thematic discussions and bilateral meetings with representatives from:

• Multilateral institutions,

• Regional organisations,

• Development finance institutions, and

• The private sector.

In addition to the investment-focused roundtable, discussions will cover five core thematic areas:

• Water for people – the human rights to water and sanitation, especially for vulnerable communities;

• Water for prosperity – valuing water, the water-energy-food nexus, efficient use and sustainable economic development;

• Water for the planet – climate change, biodiversity, resilience and disaster risk reduction;

• Water for cooperation – transboundary water governance, scientific collaboration and inclusive institutions; and

• Water in multilateral processes – Sustainable Development Goal 6, the 2030 Agenda and global water initiatives.

The Department said South Africa’s participation reflects its commitment to water justice, climate resilience and inclusive development, while positioning Africa as a central voice in shaping the future of global water governance.