Need for action

The access to water is not only a human right and part of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation), but also key for improving living conditions in Africa and a driver for developing resilient and sustainable economies across the continent. However, especially Sub-Saharan Africa is suffering from worsening water scarcity and a severe deterioration in water quality, as stated in the UN World Water Development Report 2024. The major challenges for the African water sector are population growth and associated urban sprawl, growing water demands from the emerging and growing industrial and agricultural sectors, underdeveloped water infrastructure and technologies (supply and treatment), competing interests of water users, a lack of strategic investments in innovative technologies and an underdeveloped water governance. With progressing climate change leading to an increase in temperature and likely altered rainfall patterns, Africa’s water managers expect even greater difficulties in assuring safe and sustainable access to clean water for a diverse user community in future.

Hence, major investments in the water sector are needed as underlined by the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 as well as the AU’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA 2024). They are essential to increase resilience by developing and implementing innovative water technologies, adapted water infrastructures and anticipatory and inclusive water management strategies. Sustainable research and industry collaborations and partnerships at national and international level are crucial to address the above-mentioned challenges.

The Water Security in Africa (WASA) programme is an initiative to make significant contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, deliver the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and implement national or regional adaptation plans and strategies.

Besides the development and implementation of innovative solutions for Africa’s water sector, the research programme WASA includes capacity-building activities and vocational training, particularly on the promotion of young researchers through doctoral sandwich programmes and summer schools. The initiative also seeks to build strong collaborations with similar initiatives such as the SASSCAL Graduate Studies Programme (SGSP) and WaterNet, a capacity building network of water-related university and institutional members based in Southern and East Africa. 

In addition, the seven selected research projects identify synergies together with active stakeholders in the sector including continental, regional and national water authorities, water operators, the private sector, other research programmes, international organisations, associations like the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) and the public. 

To provide scientific and organisational support for the WASA programme, the separate networking and transfer project WASANet is funded.