Ramaphosa Says Water Must Center Climate, Finance Talks
(MENAFN) During the launch of the African Union Water Investment Summit held in Cape Town, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized the critical need to place water at the forefront of discussions concerning climate and financial matters.
Speaking on Wednesday, he underlined the urgency of elevating water issues in both global policy and investment dialogues.
President Ramaphosa outlined the summit's four primary objectives.
The first, he said, is “to endorse a summit declaration that commits us to scale up investments to improve governance and to increase accountability in the water sector.”
He further explained that the event also intends “to showcase a pipeline of 80 priority investment projects from 38 countries” and “to facilitate matchmaking between governments, financiers, and various partners.”
The final aim, according to Ramaphosa, is to strategically elevate water-related issues to the highest tiers of global decision-making forums.
This includes international platforms such as the G20, COP30, and the UN 2026 Water Conference, among others.
“And fourthly, we are also gathered here to position water at the highest level of the global political and financial agenda,” he said.
He stressed the necessity of giving water a central role in climate and finance negotiations, rather than treating it as a secondary concern.
“We can clearly say that water must no longer be an afterthought at climate and finance discussions. It must be at the center of discussions. It must be financed; it must be tracked in terms of whether progress is being made or not,” Ramaphosa urged.
He described water as a potential “driver of economic transformation, innovation, and peace.”
In his remarks, he also advocated for a future “where water is recognized as a human right and not weaponized against women, children, and communities,” underscoring the ethical dimensions of water access and management.
The summit convened a diverse group of participants, including heads of state, African government officials, and global policymakers, all aiming to prioritize water security and investment across the continent.
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