Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Professor Hani Sweilem stressed on Wednesday the importance of building a practical partnership between the African Water Facility (AWF) and the German Water Association (GWP) to support Africa’s water security priorities.
Sweilem made the remarks during a meeting in Germany with Christian Schippers, Head of GWP’s Africa Regional Division, in the presence of Michiera Johannes Chirwa, AWF Coordinator and Director of the Water and Sanitation Development Department at the African Development Bank, alongside AWF officials and experts.
During the meeting, Sweilem said the partnership would connect investment-ready African water projects with specialised German companies, expertise and technologies, while increasing private sector participation and supporting knowledge and technology transfer.
He also highlighted the importance of expanding the AWF’s international partnerships to help African countries turn water priorities into viable, implementable projects and mobilise the resources and expertise needed to address growing water challenges.
Sweilem explained that the AWF is an African-led continental mechanism that helps move priority water projects from the concept stage to investment readiness through feasibility studies, technical designs and environmental and financial assessments, making them better positioned to secure funding and investment.
He noted that cooperation with GWP could link the AWF’s project portfolio with German expertise in water and sanitation, utility efficiency, digital transformation, energy efficiency and capacity building, supporting the transition from planning to implementation.
He stressed the need to strengthen African water institutions through German expertise, knowledge and technology transfer, improve operational efficiency and enhance technical and financial sustainability, while creating greater opportunities for private sector participation.
Schippers said GWP comprises more than 350 companies, associations, research institutions and specialised entities operating across the water sector, and expressed the Association’s interest in expanding co-operation with African partners through knowledge exchange, best practices and joint projects.
The two sides discussed introductory meetings between the AWF, African Development Bank and GWP member companies to showcase African projects and match their needs with German solutions.
They agreed to identify priority projects and establish contact points to follow up co-operati
