Further, it was recognised that donors and development finance institutions should play a catalytic role in bridging gaps through knowledge-generation and -sharing, identifying risks and developing mechanisms for harnessing market-based financing.

Political leadership was also cited as cardinal to develop resilient, sustainable, and inclusive cities, the bank stated, noting that a range of innovative technological, institutional and policy options for the management of water resources, water service delivery, waste management, resource recovery and reuse, and disaster management in Africa’s urban spaces.

The key role of multilateral development institutions in delivering water services in fragile situations was also highlighted. While challenging, these services are essential to cushion the effects of fragility. Here, development partners have responsibilities to strengthening the capacity of public and private entities involved in the provision of services, AfDB stated.

Urama noted that achieving the new strategic priorities of the AfDB would require an integrated water resource management approach. “We consider water as a critical resource to realise the hydropower component of the New Deal on Energy for Africa,” Urama said.

He added that water was also key to AfDB’s development priorities, which included the Feed Africa agenda, from the perspective of rain-fed agriculture and green water harvesting. Regarding the linkages between water and industrialising Africa, another development priority, Urama also argued that “the blue economy” held great potential for Africa’s industrialisation.

“Water . . . connects many countries and regions of Africa and is a critical resource for integrating Africa,” Urama said, pointing out that without effective transboundary water management, regional conflicts ensued, and development of water-based transport infrastructure would be jeopardised.

He added that, while traditional investments in the sector had mostly focused on water and sanitation intervention projects that directly improved the quality of life for Africans, “enormous opportunities” existed across the board for the bank to scale up water-based structural transformation in Africa.