African water and sanitation experts in Kampala for congress

🟥The Congress will cover six key areas
✅ Integrated Water Resources Management
✅ Water & Sanitation Management
✅ Capacity Development, Communication & Partnerships
✅ Governance & Financing
✅ Research, Technology & Innovation.

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Global water and sanitation experts have converged in Kampala as Uganda for a third time hosts the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) International Congress & Exhibition (ICE2025). The congress started today and will run until 20th February.

This 22nd edition will focus on how to push all of Africa to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) as only five years are left to the 2030 target. Statistics show that only three in five Africans (411 million people) still lack safely managed drinking water, and only 2 out of the 54 countries are on track to achieve universal basic sanitation.

François Olivier Gosso, Executive Director of AfWASA stressed the urgent need for collective action to address Africa’s water and sanitation challenges. He noted that the continent’s challenges and aspirations are “strikingly similar,” making collaboration essential. Over 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries are attending, and the congress started with a brief opening ceremony.

Officials said that AfWASA ICE2025 aims at bringing to the forefront the good, practical, and tested practices and experiences, new knowledge and innovation, collaborations and partnerships, and financing solutions that will be key to accelerating access to safe water and sanitation. These activities are designed to foster collaboration and accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6), which focuses on ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all.

The congress will feature a diverse lineup of activities, including plenary sessions, technical presentations, workshops, exhibitions, and technical tours. A high-level dialogue focusing on the congress theme will also take place, featuring keynote speakers and panel discussions. These sessions will provide a platform for thought leaders to explore innovative solutions and best practices for improving water and sanitation services across Africa.

With the theme “Water and Sanitation for All: A Secure Future for Africa”, the congress and event is structured around 6 thematic tracks: Integrated Water Resources Management, Water Management, Sanitation Management, Capacity Development, Communication and Partnerships, Governance and Financing, and Research, Technology, and Innovation.

Plenary sessions will open and close the conference days. During the plenary sessions, renown experts will address key topics related to the Congress theme and topics. Delegates will be offered a range of informative technical tours aimed at highlighting the progress made in addressing water and sanitation challenges in Uganda which will be spiced up by cultural tours.

Opening ceremony

At the opening ceremony, AfWASA President & NWSC MD, Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha highlighted Uganda’s strides in expanding water access, noting that NWSC has grown from serving 4.5M people in 2012 to 19M in 2024, with a target of 26M by 2030.

Uganda’s water network now spans 23,500 km, up from 650 km in 2012, demonstrating the impact of government support and strong leadership.

One of the highlights of the congress will be the official launch of the African Water and Sanitation Academy (AWASA), which will be hosted by NWSC. Recognized as one of Africa’s top utilities, NWSC was chosen to lead this initiative due to its impressive track record in delivering water and sanitation services.

The academy aims to build capacity across the continent by training future leaders in the water and sanitation sector. Dr. Mugisha highlighted the academy’s mission, saying, “AWASA will play a crucial role in training future leaders for the water and sanitation sector in Africa, helping to accelerate safe water and sanitation services for all.”

The Congress also features a massive exhibition showcasing modern technologies crucial for achieving SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation.

The African Water and Sanitation Association is a professional association of establishments, enterprises and utilities operating in the areas of drinking water, sanitation, and environment. It has has over 237 members, 100 of whom are utilities from over 40 countries across the continent.
AfWASA International Congress and Exhibition (AfWASA ICE) is organized by AfWASA as part of the mechanisms to enhance the exchange of ideas and recent developments in the water and sanitation sector.

The last AfWASA Congress (21 AfWASA ICE2023) was held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in February 2023.