South Africa: Global leaders unite in Cape Town to transform water investment strategy
Source: GCIS. President Cyril Ramaphosa urged that water investment be central to finance discussions at the AU-AIP Water Summit 2025, which aligns with the launch of the Rand Water Zuikerbosch System Purification Plant in Vereeniging which he attended last week.
'Water investment must be at the centre of these discussions and be financed, tracked and championed,' President Ramaphosa said.
He was speaking at the opening of the African Union - Africa Water Investment Programme (AU-AIP) Water Summit 2025, currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
Under the theme: 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability', the three-day summit, which kicked off on Tuesday, 12 August 2025 takes place during South Africa's G20 Presidency.
It aims to place Africa's development challenges at the centre of the global agenda and to help address the continent's $30bn annual water-investment gap.
In his address, President Ramaphosa challenged the attending Heads of State and delegates to leave the summit with deals, pipelines, partnerships and a permanent global mechanism to sustain the momentum.
'The matchmaking sessions planned for this summit should create long-lasting partnerships and increased investments in water. Let us build a world where every drop counts and every community thrives - a world where water is recognised as a human right and not weaponised against women, children and communities,' the President said.
Global Outlook Council on Water Investments
The summit also marked the launch of the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments, an initiative that will see the Africa Water Investment Programme scaled up into a Global Water Investment Platform.
The President highlighted that the Global Outlook Council on Water Investment will serve as the world's premier high-level political and investment platform on water.
President Ramaphosa described the Council as the world's premier high-level political and investment platform on water.
'It will mobilise leadership, capital and innovation to transform water from a crisis sector into an opportunity sector,' he said, adding that the initiative will align with the investment theme of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference: 'Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'.
'It will track progress, unlock finance, report annually and align efforts across the G20, UN, multilateral development banks and the private sector. It will mobilise the leadership, capital and innovation required to transform water from a crisis sector into an opportunity sector,' President Ramaphosa said.
He emphasised that the continent is looking forward to the alignment of the Global Outlook Council initiative with the investment theme of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
The invited leaders that will work with the South Africa G20 Presidency as co-chair in the leadership of the council are United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, and co-chairperson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.
Alternate co-chairs include former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, who will facilitate effective broad engagement of the Council members.
The invited leaders, as Council Members, include:
• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.
• President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico.
• Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy.
• President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission.
• President João Lourenço of Angola and African Union Chai.
• President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, who is co-host of the UN 2026 Water Conference.
The Council will be supported by a network of global leaders acting as 'Council Champions' to strengthen advocacy and mobilise resources.
President Ramaphosa commended the leaders, who have stepped forward to confront and overcome a challenge faced by billions of people across the world.
'In the words of the founding president of the democratic South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: 'It is now in our hands.' Let the work begin. Let us leave no-one behind."
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