Dear AfWASA ICE2025 Delegates,

I would like to take this singular honour of welcoming you all to the 22^nd African Water and Sanitation Association – International Congress and Exhibition 2025 (AfWASA ICE2025), to be held in Kampala, Uganda on 16^th – 20^th February 2025. The Congress deliberations have come at a momentous time when the African continent is lagging behind in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #6 dubbed, “ensure access to water and sanitation for all.”  Consequently, in the next five (5) years, the United Nations will be evaluating the progress and achievements of SDG No. 6 on several global frontiers, especially the African continent. But why is Africa lagging behind in SDG #6?

In my view, a number of recent events and challenges have plagued the water and sanitation sector in Africa – which have defined and spiralled changes – resulting in some paradigm shifts in the way the water and sanitation sector has been managed. These events include: (i) rapid population growth, (ii) increased rate of urbanisation, (iii) increased environmental degradation, leading to erratic climatic changes, and (iv) enhanced depletion of water resources, among others. The AfWASA ICE2025 provides the right platform to deliberate on these teething challenges and events.

Currently, the African populace stands at 1.49 billion, which is equivalent to 18% of the total global population. This translates into an annual growth rate of 2.33% (2024), and this is envisaged to remain that way, for the next twenty (20) years! These daunting figures must be matched with the provision of water and sanitation services in the everchanging African environment. Unfortunately, depending on the source you might reference, approximately 30% of the African population (about 440 million people) do not have access to clean water; while 52.3% (779 million) lack basic and decent sanitation services. What must we do to close these service delivery gaps? How do we boldly move into the future, without leaving any African behind? How can we collectively harness the opportunities presented by African water resources, in order to sustainably accelerate the much-coveted socio–economic transformation? These questions should form part of the discussions during the Congress. The challenges posed as a result of human activities on the environment and available resources leading to acute water stress and erratic climatic change is another key issue that needs to be discussed. The Government of Uganda and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) are excited to contribute to the Congress where plausible solutions to tackle the current water and sanitation sector challenges will be shared.

This Congress is jointly organised by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE, Uganda), National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), and the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA). Based on the cocktail of events entrenched within the Congress Program, we believe that your active involvement and deliberations as a delegate, will significantly contribute tangible ideas to ably address our continental water and sanitation challenges. I believe that the rich representation of key stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector will provide concrete recommendations that will accelerate the delivery of water and sanitation services thus securing a future for Africa.

Finally, I welcome you once again to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.  After the Congress, I urge you to take time to explore and tour this beautiful country, whose flora and fauna is unmatched by any other country on the Continent. Uganda is a land of tremendous beauty and breath-taking sceneries! For the delegates who love adventure in tourism, Uganda serves you with a wide spectrum of activities, namely: gorilla trekking, safaris, bird watching, multiday mountain climbing, River Nile source cruises, wildlife tracking, white–water rafting, among other fun–filled adventures.

I also implore you to make the most of the Congress to network and create lasting partnerships and alliances in order to fast track the process of the attainment of SDG6. I am confident that you will all make a valuable contribution to the promotion of sustainable development of water and sanitation in Africa.

For God and my Country