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The University of Dar es Salaam Chancellor, Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has urged water stakeholders to collectively find solutions to unlocking investments into African water security.

Dr. Kikwete, the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chair of Global Water Partnership Southern Africa and African Coordination Unit (GWPSA-Africa), said this at the High Level Water Investment Conference that was held in Zanzibar on 11^th and 12^th March, 2022.

“The AIP [The Continental Africa Water Investment Programme] supports country-specific efforts, such as the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme, to find adapting the operating environment to one which is more favorable to improving the investment outlook for water projects”, said Dr. Kikwete.

The Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) is a pan-African programme transforming the investment outlook for climate-resilient water and sanitation investments on the continent. The goal of the AIP is to mobilise USD30 billion in investments by 2030 across Africa, while creating 5million indirect and direct jobs.

Dr. Kikwete stressed that the AIP scorecard will rally political leadership and commitment to transform the investment outlook for water and sanitation “towards the realization Sustainable Development Goal number six by supporting countries to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and take action”.

The AIP Water Investment Scorecard, which was initiated in April, 2021 aims at mobilizing water and sanitation investments in Africa through such political commitment at the highest level in the continent. It is a data-based narrative for water security that improves investment outlook for water and sanitation and increases domestic and regional financial resources allocated to the sector. 

This March Conference in Zanzibar, which was convened to support the AIP and initiatives towards investments into African water security, was hosted by Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council and Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania and Chair of GWPSA-Africa.

GWPSA-Africa convened this conference in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), African Ministers Council on Water, African Development Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UNICEF, World Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa; as well as in close cooperation with the Zanzibar Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals.

The University of Dar es Salaam Department of Water Resources Engineering attended this conference effusively and took part in the exhibitions of her works and innovative solutions in water and sanitation challenges.