The Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) took part in the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) International Congress and Exhibition held from 16 to 20 February in Kampala, Uganda. Under the banner Water and Sanitation for All: A Secure Future for Africa and GWOPA extends its congratulations to AfWASA, its Regional WOP Platform in Africa, for the resounding success of the event.
With 411 million Africans still lacking safely managed drinking water and only two countries on track for universal basic sanitation, the Congress spotlighted and shared experiences on proven practices, innovative solutions, and financing mechanisms to accelerate progress. The event served as a strategic platform for GWOPA to showcase the growing impact of Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) and to promote the replication of successful approaches to strengthen the capacities of utilities across Africa as the region prepares for the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy. The Congress also enabled the Alliance to deepen engagement with African utilities and seek to expand its membership across the region including at the CEO Forum hosted during the Congress.
In her statement at the opening plenary, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anáclaudia Rossbach, emphasized GWOPA’s role in fostering collaboration and peer learning among utilities, cities and regions. She underscored the importance of integrating water and sanitation services as a cornerstone of dignified housing, responsible land use and liveable neighbourhoods.
As part of the programme, GWOPA hosted a well-attended side event titled Enabling Approaches for Capacity Development Partnerships Between Water and Sanitation Operators in Africa, reinforcing the importance of South-South and North-South WOPs as vehicles for knowledge exchange and capacity development. It also called for their integration into national WASH strategies, stronger regulatory frameworks and greater awareness of financing opportunities through multilateral development banks.
In a plenary keynote, Åsa Jonsson, Head of GWOPA delivered a strong message on the power of collaboration to transform water and sanitation service delivery in Africa. She called for more structured partnerships, supportive regulations and innovative financing to help utilities deliver sustainable and resilient services aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (water and sanitation for all).
Throughout the week, GWOPA engaged in strategic discussions with multilateral development banks, including the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, to explore the potential of linking WOPs with large-scale infrastructure financing.
Together with the partners IHE Delft, VEI and WaterWorX, GWOPA facilitated a training session on climate resilience, equipping utility representatives with practical skills in climate-resilient sanitation, greenhouse gas emission assessments using the ECAM tool and access to climate finance.
Delegates were invited to continue the conversation and partnership building at the 6th Global WOPs Congress, to be held in Bonn, Germany, from 27 to 29 October 2025 and for utilities in eligible countries to apply to EU-WOP Phase 2.
