Speaking on behalf of the head of state, Cameroon’s Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, on February 9, 2026, presided over the official opening of the 23rd Congress of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AAEA) at the Yaoundé Conference Center.
The minister called for concrete and coordinated action at the continental level to strengthen access to drinking water and sanitation across Africa.
In his address, he highlighted mounting constraints and the limits of isolated responses. He said population expectations are rising, resources are becoming scarcer in some areas, and requirements for quality, performance, and sustainability are increasing. In this context, he stressed that Africa can no longer rely on fragmented or short-term solutions and must build coherent, integrated strategies focused on the long term.
A massive access gap incompatible with SDG 6
The call to action is based on what speakers described as a worrying diagnosis. According to Olivier Gosso, executive director of AAEA, more than 400 million people in Africa still lack access to drinking water, while about 700 million remain without sanitation services.
Michera Chirwa, director of the water and sanitation department at the African Development Bank, said these figures reflect Africa’s significant delay in meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure universal and equitable access to clean water and sanitation, as well as sustainable water resource management.
Operators urge governments to make “bold decisions”
Beyond the assessment, sector leaders are calling for a shift in public policy. Blaise Moussa, chief executive of Cameroon Water Utilities (Camwater) and current president of AAEA, said effective access to drinking water requires bold decisions. He argued that Africa can no longer passively endure its water challenges and must instead take control, anticipate risks, and strengthen governance through better planning, financing, and project execution at scale.
Held under the theme “Water and sanitation for all: strong actions for Africa,” the 23rd AAEA Congress is set to close on February 13, 2026. The program includes a symposium, thematic discussions, a ministerial dialogue, and a forum for leaders of water and sanitation utilities. Organizers expect around 3,000 participants from 52 African and non-African countries.
BRM
