With its participation at IFAT Munich 2026, the Water Security in Africa (WASA) programme engaged in a large-scale networking presence at the world’s leading trade fair for water, recycling, and circularity. Hosted at the German Water Partnership (GWP) Joint Pavilion, WASA and its seven research projects showcased how German–African research collaboration is contributing to innovative solutions for water security while strengthening dialogue with industry, policymakers, and international partners.
One of the cornerstones of the WASA programme is the strong network of African and German research institutions, policymakers, and the private sector. IFAT Munich offered the ideal environment to translate this collaboration into new partnerships, foster dialogue and increase the international visibility of the programme and its research projects.
With around 3,400 exhibitors from approximately 60 countries and regions, IFAT once again confirmed its role as the global meeting place for environmental technologies. For the WASA projects, participation provided outstanding opportunities to engage directly with representatives from industry, politics, and the international water sector. Particularly valuable was the exchange with three high-level delegations from Africa, as well as representatives of African water operators and companies, creating new opportunities for cooperation and knowledge transfer between research and practice.
The strength of the WASA programme was reflected in the broad representation of its research projects. Across the week, project teams actively presented their work, discussed research results, and explored opportunities for future collaboration. Among the participating projects were:
- MAMDIWAS, represented by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Panglisch
- SeeKaquA, represented by Dr. Wiebke Mörbe
- NEU-Water, represented by Dr. Leonie Hyde-Smith and Ajith Edathoot
- WaMiSAR, represented by Florian Blum
- Additional representatives from the WASA network, including Dr. Jörg Helmschrot (WASANet), who introduced the programme and moderated the Blue Stage discussion.
The prominent location of the WASA booth within the German Water Partnership Joint Pavilion, directly adjacent to the Blue Stage, ensured excellent visibility throughout the exhibition. Beyond showcasing research results, the booth became a meeting point where project teams connected with companies from the GWP network, public authorities, international organisations, and African stakeholders interested in innovative approaches to water security.
A particular highlight was the WASA session on the Blue Stage, Achieving Water Security in Africa: Bridging Science, Policy and Industry. The session provided an excellent opportunity to present not only the overall WASA programme but also the progress, achievements and future perspectives of the individual research projects. Bringing together representatives from science, policy, industry and water operators, the discussion illustrated how interdisciplinary collaboration is helping to translate research into practical solutions with real-world impact.
The programme continued with project presentations at the GWP Speakers’ Corner, where the participating research teams introduced their innovations to an international audience and engaged directly with potential industrial partners, policymakers and fellow researchers. Together, the Blue Stage session and the project pitches demonstrated the value of connecting scientific excellence with industrial expertise. Through its Joint Pavilion, GWP created the platform that enabled WASA to strengthen its visibility, expand its international network and build new partnerships between science, industry and practice.
The momentum generated at IFAT Munich marks an important step for the WASA programme as it continues to strengthen German–African cooperation and promote innovative solutions for water security.
Save the Date
The next opportunity to meet the WASA community will be at IFAT Africa, taking place 6–8 July 2027 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Co-located with analytica Lab Africa, IFAT Africa will once again provide a unique platform to connect science, industry and policymakers and to continue building partnerships for sustainable water security across Africa.
