African leaders to address water, climate challenges at Madrid summit

African ministers and leaders will meet in Madrid, Spain, between October 22 and 23 to discuss water, sanitation, and climate challenges, according to a statement from the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership.

The statement said the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM), co-hosted by the Government of Spain, UNICEF, and SWA, will bring together ministers of water, sanitation, environment, climate, and finance from more than 60 countries.

Its theme, “Breaking Silos: Uniting Political Leadership to Integrate Water, Sanitation and Climate Action,” focuses on strengthening collaboration to improve climate resilience and access to water and sanitation.

The statement highlighted that nearly 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to safe drinking water, while over 700 million do not have safely managed sanitation.

It noted that climate change has worsened these vulnerabilities, with droughts in the Horn of Africa, flooding in the Sahel, and water shortages in Southern Africa.

According to the statement, expected outcomes from the summit included a High-Level Leaders’ Pact on Water Security and Resilience, a Mutual Accountability Mechanism to track progress, and links to global agendas such as COP30 in Brazil and the UN 2026 Water Conference.

The statement also listed examples of national initiatives, including Kenya’s investment in climate-resilient water infrastructure, Ghana’s sanitation programs, and Ethiopia’s integration of water and climate planning.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of SWA, Muyatwa Sitali, was quoted in the statement as saying: “The SMM is where global commitments meet local realities, and Africa’s leadership will be critical to achieving lasting change.”

The statement also noted SWA’s 15-year role in coordinating governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to advance the human rights to water and sanitation.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.