Cap-Net´s proud to collaborate with GWP Southern Africa and other partners in this key programme for Africa.  

The Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) was formally adopted by Heads of State and Government in February 2021, during the 34th Ordinary Session of the Africa Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Priority Action Plan.  

The goal of the AIP is to transform and improve the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation for a prosperous, peaceful, and equitable Africa. The AIP’s objective is to enhance job creation through gender sensitive investments in water security, industrialisation, and climate resilient development.   

Delivery of water infrastructure in Africa is lagging behind the continent’s economic and social needs. The African Development Bank estimates that US$64 billion in water infrastructure investment is required annually to meet the 2025 Africa water vision of water security for all; the actual figure invested stands between US$10-US$19 billion per year.   

The AIP supports countries to develop and accelerate implementation of gender transformative climate resilient regional and national water investment programmes and projects. It contributes towards continental efforts on universal access to safe water, sanitation hygiene, and integration of water security in Covid-19 economic recovery plans. 

The AIP addresses the gap in the delivery of water infrastructure on the continent by focussing action on four systemic challenges:  

1 High level political and continental leadership of ongoing and new water investments is inadequate to address the water infrastructure gap to meet socialeconomic needs of the continent and falls short of the requirements to meet the 2025 Africa water vision and 2030 SDG 6 on water and sanitation.  

2 Planning, investment, decision making and institutional processes of ongoing and new SDG 6 investments on water and sanitation are not coordinated with water related interventions in health, energy and food security, and reflect structurally embedded ‘silos’ that undermine job creation and inclusive economic growth.  

3 Planning, investment decision-making and institutional processes for climate resilient water investments are not gender transformative. 

 4 Preparation and implementation of bankable transboundary water projects is slow, lagging behind the needs of water dependent social-economic growth sectors, hampering job creation and inclusive growth of the continent. 

For more information please visit: AIP website or GWP Southern Africa.