The 96th AfWASA Strategic and Technological Council opened in Yaoundé under the banner of the water emergency in Africa.
The 96th Strategic and Technological Council (STC) of AfWASA opened on Monday, 17 November 2025, at the Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Organized under the auspices of CAMWATER, this session is held under the theme: “Sustainable Water Resources Management and Strengthening of Water and Sanitation Services: What Strategic Levers for Strong Action in Africa?”
Nearly 300 participants, representing about twenty countries and more than thirty African and international organisations, took part in the event, alongside technical and financial partners and several senior Cameroonian political and administrative authorities, including Their Excellencies the Minister of Water and Energy, Mr. Gaston Eloundou Essomba, and the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform, Mr. Joseph Le.
The opening ceremony featured several addresses, all of which highlighted often with a tone of urgency the need to accelerate action to ensure access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation services across the continent.
The Director General of the Yaoundé Conference Centre, Mr. Christophe Mien Zok, expressed the honour for his institution to contribute to this major gathering, which serves as a prelude to the upcoming AfWASA International Congress to be held in the same venue. He assured participants that all technical, logistical, and organisational arrangements are underway to guarantee a world-class event that meets expectations.
AfWASA’s Acting President and Director General of CAMWATER, Dr. Blaise Moussa, recalled that “bringing together decision-makers, experts and technicians is essential to sustainably reduce inequalities in access to water and sanitation in Africa.” He outlined the priorities of his tenure, centered on operational excellence, strengthened cooperation among operators, and the promotion of African solutions adapted to local contexts, while highlighting CAMWATER’s initiatives on climate resilience and the capitalization of best practices.
The Chair of the STC, Eng. Mahmood Lutaaya, emphasized the central role of innovation and knowledge-sharing: “The thematic panels of this edition will stimulate exchanges and reinforce the participation of all, particularly young professionals and women.” He urged participants to deepen their reflections on structural levers such as governance reforms, innovative financing mechanisms, digitalisation of services, and the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure.
Taking the floor in turn, AfWASA’s Executive Director, Mr. Olivier Gosso, highlighted the major progress achieved since 2015: 350 million people have benefited from improved access to drinking water, and 110 million urban residents have seen their sanitation services strengthened. Despite these gains, he recalled the scale of the remaining challenges: more than 400 million Africans still lack access to safe drinking water, and 700 million remain without adequate sanitation services. He called for collective and coordinated mobilisation to transform African systems sustainably.
To close the series of speeches, H.E. Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water and Energy of Cameroon, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to assuming a continental leadership role. “Our water resources are precious yet still under-exploited. In the face of climate and demographic pressures, we must act swiftly and in a coordinated manner,” he stated. He praised the relevance of the chosen theme and called for strengthened African cooperation to ensure equitable, sustainable, and inclusive access before officially declaring the 96th STC open.
Furthermore, the ceremony was enhanced by the signing of a strategic partnership between the African Confederation of Olympic Sports (CASOL) and AfWASA an agreement that paves the way for new intersectoral synergies and holds promise for positive outcomes in the development of the water and sanitation sector across the continent.
The proceedings will continue until 19 November, punctuated by a series of technical panels led by the Specialist Groups and a session of the Strategic Council. The session will conclude on 20 November with the meeting of AfWASA’s Executive Board.
