Water and Sanitation Public Utilities: Leaders of Africa’s Transformation
On February 10, 2026, on the sidelines of the 23rd International Congress and Exhibition of the African Water and Association (AfWASA) in Yaoundé, a high-level side event was held under the theme: “WASH Public Utilities: Leaders of Africa’s Transformation.”
Facilitated by Dr. Siméon KENFACK, Director of Programs at AfWASA, this strategic gathering brought together African public utility CEOs, investors, regulators, mayors and local elected officials, as well as technical and financial partners around a shared objective: strengthening the leadership and credibility of water and sanitation operators in a context shaped by sector reforms, climate resilience challenges, and the pursuit of transformative financing.
Discussions highlighted three major priorities:
The professionalization of public utilities, particularly at the managerial level;
The strategic link between institutional performance and investment attractiveness;
The need for a systemic vision to accelerate the sector’s sustainable transformation.
The event also marked the continental launch of the mobilization momentum toward the Africa All Systems Leadership Symposium – Kigali 2026, positioned as a key milestone to reposition African public utilities as credible, mature, and investment-ready institutions.
Under the leadership of Dr. Siméon KENFACK, the session generated strong momentum and opened a strategic dialogue set to deepen in the lead-up to Kigali 2026.
About the Symposium
The Africa All Systems Leadership Symposium 2026 will be held from 17–21 August 2026 at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda, co-organized by the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) and the Government of Rwanda and facilitated by IRC.
The symposium will gather leaders from political, financial, budgetary, and technical spheres to advance sector transformation.
It will emphasize financial credibility as a cornerstone for mobilizing sustainable investments and strengthening resilient systems.
The event aims to align African leaders, reform champions, donors, and partners around actionable solutions for delivering credible, investment-ready water and sanitation services across the continent.
For more information please visit : https://www.africawatersystems.org/fr
