Category: Africa

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Eni Expands African Exploration Footprint with Major Discoveries in Ivory Coast, Angola

Source: APO


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Energy major Eni continues to deliver on its exploration drive in Africa, announcing two major hydrocarbon discoveries in February 2026. In Ivory Coast, the company successfully drilled the Murene South-1X well in Block CI-501, confirming the Calao South discovery within the prolific Calao channel complex. Through its Angolan joint venture Azule Energy, the company also announced the Algaita-01 well in Block 15/06 – situated in the prolific Lower Congo Basin. Together, these milestones reflect a deliberate dual-track strategy for the company: opening new hydrocarbon frontiers while strengthening production capacity across Africa’s established markets. 

As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends Eni for its sustained commitment to African exploration. Large-scale discoveries in Ivory Coast and Angola are not only commercial wins – they are strategic victories for the continent. For emerging producers such as Ivory Coast, discoveries of this scale fast-track energy independence and domestic gas-to-power expansion. For mature producers such as Angola, they underpin production stability and fiscal resilience at a time when global capital is increasingly selective. As the company advances appraisal, testing and development planning, these discoveries have the potential to catalyze a new wave of upstream momentum across Africa’s hydrocarbon market.

Ivory Coast: Unlocking New Frontiers

Representing the first exploration well in Block CI-501, Eni’s recent Calao South discovery has estimated volumes of 5 trillion cubic feet of gas and 450 million barrels of condensate. Drilled in water depths of approximately 5,000 meters, the Murene South-1X well encountered high-quality Cenomanian sands with excellent petrophysical properties. The well will undergo a full drill stem test to assess production capacity, but the scale of resources already signals a potential game-changer for the Ivorian gas market.

Crucially, Calao South complements the fast-tracked Baleine Field development – led by Eni as operator. Currently producing over 62,000 barrels of oil and more than 75 million cubic feet of gas per day from Phases 1 and 2, Baleine is set to ramp up significantly under Phase 3, targeting 150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas per day. This phased development model demonstrates how exploration success can be rapidly converted into production, supporting domestic power generation and industrial demand while boosting export capacity.

Angola: Scaling-Up Production

Eni’s exploration drive extends beyond Africa’s frontier margins. In established markets such as Angola, the company continues to deliver successful exploration results, with its recent Algaita-01 well further validating the resource potential of Block 15/06 – one of Angola’s biggest producing assets. Drilled in 667 meters of water by the Saipem 12000 drillship, the well encountered oil-bearing sandstones across multiple Upper Miocene intervals, supported by comprehensive data acquisition and fluid sampling. Initial resource estimates measure 500 million barrels of oil, underscoring the growth potential of Angola’s mid-life assets.

What makes Algaita-01 particularly significant is its proximity to the Olombendo FPSO. The presence of existing infrastructure materially enhances development prospects, lowering capital intensity and accelerating time-to-market. This near-field exploration model exemplifies how incremental discoveries around established hubs can sustain production above one million barrels per day in Angola, even as legacy fields mature.

A Continental Exploration Drive

Eni’s Ivory Coast and Angola discoveries come as the company advances a bold exploration strategy across the broader African market. In North Africa, the company plans to invest up to €24 billion across Algeria, Libya and Egypt over the next four years, signaling a major boost for the regional market. Just this month, the company secured the offshore exploration License O1 following Libya’s 2025 open licensing round. Exploration coincides with an ambitious LNG drive in Africa, with projects such as Congo LNG – Phase 2 of which commenced in December 2025 – and Coral North – launched in October 2025 – underpinning its gas strategy.

“Eni’s recent discoveries in Ivory Coast and Angola send a powerful signal to the global market that Africa remains open, prospective and competitive. Oil and gas are not relics of the past for our continent – they are the foundation of industrialization, power generation and economic sovereignty. Companies that continue to explore, invest and partner with African nations are driving real development and long-term energy security,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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2026 marque un tournant décisif pour l’énergie africaine avec le lancement du programme d’investissement stratégique de African Energy Week (AEW)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

L’année 2026 s’annonce comme une année décisive pour l’énergie africaine. Dans un contexte géopolitique en mutation, marqué par l’intensification des différends commerciaux et la volonté mondiale de diversifier les chaînes d’approvisionnement, les partenaires internationaux se tournent de plus en plus vers l’Afrique comme un pilier stratégique en matière d’énergie. Parallèlement, la réforme réglementaire à l’échelle du continent, les nouvelles découvertes de pétrole et de gaz et le renforcement des alliances mondiales ont considérablement amélioré la compétitivité de l’Afrique, la positionnant comme l’une des destinations les plus attractives pour les capitaux étrangers dans le domaine de l’énergie dans le contexte actuel.

À ce moment charnière, l’African Energy Week (AEW) : Invest in African Energy Conference & Exhibition s’impose comme la plateforme énergétique la plus importante du continent, tant pour les investisseurs internationaux à la recherche de nouveaux débouchés que pour les gouvernements africains souhaitant nouer des partenariats mondiaux et les entreprises locales désireuses d’étendre leur présence régionale et mondiale. Se déroulant du 12 au 16 octobre 2026 au Cap, le programme provisoire 2026 récemment lancé par l’AEW reflète l’urgence, l’ampleur et les opportunités qui définissent la trajectoire énergétique actuelle de l’Afrique.

« Le secteur énergétique africain s’affirme avec confiance sur la scène mondiale. De l’expansion en amont à l’industrialisation en aval et à la production d’électricité, le continent ne se contente plus d’attendre en marge, il façonne les marchés énergétiques mondiaux. AEW : Invest in African Energy offre une plateforme où les voix, les projets et les solutions africains occupent le devant de la scène », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie.

Le réalignement mondial rencontre les ressources africaines

Avec plus de 125 milliards de barils de réserves de pétrole brut, 620 000 milliards de pieds cubes de gaz naturel et un potentiel solaire, éolien et hydroélectrique abondant, l’Afrique est depuis longtemps une destination attrayante pour les entreprises énergétiques internationales. Pourtant, malgré ces ressources, le déficit de financement énergétique du continent reste compris entre 31 et 50 milliards de dollars, ce qui freine la mise en œuvre des projets, retarde le déploiement des infrastructures et limite la vitesse à laquelle l’Afrique peut transformer sa richesse en ressources en croissance industrielle et en accès universel à l’énergie. Mais cette trajectoire est déjà en train de changer. Les efforts mondiaux visant à diversifier les chaînes d’approvisionnement, le renforcement des conditions fiscales et juridiques à travers l’Afrique et la montée en puissance de partenaires nationaux solides et compétents ont transformé le continent, qui est passé d’une simple destination attractive à un continent de plus en plus compétitif.

Les initiatives récentes en témoignent. Dans le secteur pétrolier, les cycles d’octroi de licences en Libye, en Angola, au Nigeria et en Algérie ont ouvert de nouveaux terrains aux grands acteurs, tandis que les désinvestissements stratégiques ont créé un espace permettant aux acteurs locaux et régionaux de se développer. Dans le secteur gazier, le lancement d’installations GNL à grande échelle, notamment Congo LNG Phase 2, Greater Tortue Ahmeyim et la reprise de Mozambique LNG, souligne le potentiel des projets d’un milliard de dollars. Les énergies renouvelables prennent également forme. Plus de 13 GW d’énergie solaire et éolienne à grande échelle sont en cours de développement, tandis que la production d’hydrogène vert pourrait atteindre 50 millions de tonnes par an d’ici 2035. Alors que la concurrence pour les capitaux s’intensifie et que les marchés mondiaux recherchent un approvisionnement énergétique sûr et diversifié, AEW 2026 arrive à un moment décisif, offrant une plateforme où la force des ressources, la dynamique de réforme et l’appétit des investisseurs convergent vers des partenariats concrets et le financement de projets.

Positionnement stratégique, programme en cinq étapes

Reflétant la mission de l’Afrique d’attirer les capitaux mondiaux tout en renforçant les systèmes énergétiques nationaux, l’AEW 2026 s’articule autour d’un programme en cinq étapes conçu pour couvrir l’ensemble de la chaîne de valeur énergétique. L’AEW Town Hall réunira des décideurs politiques de haut niveau, des régulateurs et des dirigeants du secteur privé dans le cadre d’une table ronde de haut niveau visant à harmoniser les régimes fiscaux, à développer les opérateurs locaux et à accélérer le passage de l’extraction des ressources à l’industrialisation. Des présentations par pays mettront en avant les cycles d’octroi de licences en cours, les réformes réglementaires et les projets d’investissement sur les principaux marchés.

Avec plus de 20 milliards de dollars nécessaires pour les infrastructures de raffinage et des milliards supplémentaires pour le stockage, la pétrochimie et l’intégration du gaz dans la production d’électricité, le Sommet sur le financement de l’énergie et l’aval examinera le double obstacle que constituent l’accès au capital et le sous-développement des chaînes de valeur.

Le Forum Upstream E&P mettra en lumière les nouvelles frontières du gaz jusqu’en 2035, le développement des champs marginaux, la collaboration transfrontalière et les campagnes de forage à fort impact.

Le Forum Powering Africa aborde directement le défi de l’électrification du continent, en examinant l’expansion du réseau, l’intégration des énergies renouvelables, la réforme des services publics et l’essor des industries à forte consommation d’énergie telles que les centres de données.

Avec une demande en électricité qui devrait augmenter fortement jusqu’en 2030, cette piste positionne les infrastructures électriques à la fois comme une nécessité sociale et une opportunité d’investissement majeure. Enfin, le Forum Energy Additions souligne l’approche pragmatique de l’Afrique en matière de sécurité énergétique, qui consiste à développer de manière responsable les hydrocarbures parallèlement aux énergies renouvelables. Ensemble, ces étapes positionnent l’AEW non seulement comme une conférence, mais aussi comme un marché structuré pour l’alignement des politiques, l’allocation des capitaux et l’accélération des projets.

Dialogue technique, résultats commerciaux

Alors que les capitaux deviennent de plus en plus sélectifs et que les investisseurs privilégient la certitude technique parallèlement à la stabilité fiscale, les informations détaillées sur le sous-sol et l’efficacité opérationnelle ne sont plus des considérations secondaires, mais des critères d’investissement essentiels. Les plateformes techniques de l’AEW 2026, The Drill Room et The Innovation Hub, ne sont donc pas considérées comme des discussions secondaires, mais comme des forums essentiels pour évaluer les risques, les structures de coûts et la viabilité commerciale dans les bassins émergents et établis d’Afrique.

The Drill Room se concentrera sur la conversion du potentiel géologique en ressources économiquement exploitables, tandis que The Innovation Hub abordera le rôle croissant de la technologie dans le renforcement de la compétitivité énergétique de l’Afrique. En fondant le dialogue technique sur les résultats commerciaux, AEW 2026 présente la géologie, l’ingénierie et l’innovation numérique comme des piliers essentiels de la confiance des investisseurs, renforçant ainsi le lien entre le potentiel souterrain et le déploiement des capitaux.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

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2026 Marks Defining Moment for African Energy as African Energy Week (AEW) Launches Strategic Investment Agenda

Source: APO

The year 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for African energy. Amid shifting geopolitics, intensifying trade disputes and the global push to diversify supply chains, international partners are increasingly turning toward Africa as a strategic energy anchor. At the same time, continent-wide regulatory reform, new oil and gas discoveries and strengthened global alliances have significantly enhanced Africa’s competitiveness, positioning it as one of the most attractive destinations for foreign energy capital in today’s climate.

At this pivotal moment, the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies Conference & Exhibition emerges as the continent’s most consequential energy platform – for international investors seeking new entry points, for African governments engaging global partners and for indigenous companies expanding their regional and global footprint. Taking place October 12-16, 2026 in Cape Town, AEW’s newly launched Draft 2026 program reflects the urgency, scale and opportunity defining Africa’s current energy trajectory.

“Africa’s energy sector is rising with confidence on the global stage. From upstream expansion to downstream industrialization and power generation, the continent is no longer waiting on the sidelines – it is shaping global energy markets. AEW: Invest in African Energies provides the platform where African voices, African projects and African solutions take center stage,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

Global Realignment Meets African Resources

With over 125 billion barrels of crude reserves, 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and abundant solar, wind and hydropower potential, Africa has long-been an attractive destination for international energy companies. Yet despite this resource base, the continent’s energy finance gap remains between $31 billion and $50 billion – constraining project execution, delaying infrastructure rollout and limiting the pace at which Africa can translate resource wealth into industrial growth and universal energy access. But this trajectory is already shifting. Global efforts to diversify supply chains, strengthened fiscal and legal terms across Africa and a rise in strong and capable domestic partners has transformed the continent from merely attractive to increasingly competitive.

Recent moves reflect this. In the oil sector, licensing rounds in Libya, Angola, Nigeria, Algeria have opened new acreage for major players while strategic divestment has created space for local and regional players to expand. In the gas sector, the launch of large-scale LNG facilities – including Congo LNG Phase 2, Greater Tortue Ahmeyim and the resumption of Mozambique LNG – underscores the potential for billion-dollar projects. Renewable energy is also taking shape. Over 13 GW of utility-scale solar and wind is under development while green hydrogen production could reach 50 million tons per annum by 2035. As capital competition intensifies and global markets seek secure, diversified energy supply, AEW 2026 arrives at a decisive moment – providing the platform where this resource strength, reform momentum and investor appetite converge into actionable partnerships and project financing.

Strategic Positioning, Five-Stage Program

Reflecting Africa’s mandate of attracting global capital while strengthening domestic energy systems, AEW 2026 is structured around a five-stage program designed to address the full energy value chain. The AEW Town Hall will convene senior policymakers, regulators and private-sector leaders in a high-level roundtable format aimed at aligning fiscal regimes, scaling indigenous operators and accelerating the shift from resource extraction to industrialization. Country spotlights will showcase active licensing rounds, regulatory reforms and investment pipelines across key markets.

With over $20 billion required for refining infrastructure and billions more needed for storage, petrochemicals and gas-to-power integration, the Energy Finance & Downstream Summit will examine the dual bottlenecks of capital access and underdeveloped value chains. The Upstream E&P Forum will spotlight new gas frontiers through 2035, marginal field development, transboundary collaboration and high-impact drilling campaigns.

The Powering Africa Forum addresses the continent’s electrification challenge directly, examining grid expansion, renewable integration, utility reform and the rise of energy-intensive industries such as data centers. With electricity demand projected to rise sharply through 2030, this track positions power infrastructure as both a social necessity and a major investment opportunity. Finally, the Energy Additions Forum underscores Africa’s pragmatic approach to energy security – responsibly developing hydrocarbons alongside renewables. Together, these stages position AEW not simply as a conference, but as a structured marketplace for policy alignment, capital allocation and project acceleration.

Technical Dialogue, Commercial Outcomes

As capital becomes increasingly selective and investors prioritize technical certainty alongside fiscal stability, detailed subsurface intelligence and operational efficiency are no longer secondary considerations – they are core investment criteria. AEW 2026’s technical platforms – The Drill Room and The Innovation Hub – are therefore positioned not as side discussions, but as critical forums for evaluating risk, cost structures and commercial viability across Africa’s emerging and established basins.

The Drill Room will focus on translating geological potential into economically recoverable resources, while the Innovation Hub will address the growing role of technology in strengthening Africa’s energy competitiveness. By grounding technical dialogue in commercial outcomes, AEW 2026 frames geology, engineering and digital innovation as essential pillars of investment confidence – reinforcing the link between subsurface potential and capital deployment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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President Ramaphosa to attend Debate on the State of the Nation Address

Source: President of South Africa –

President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend the National Assembly Debate on the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow, Wednesday, 18 February 2026, at the Nieuwmeester Parking Dome in Cape Town.

President Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 12 February 2026, during a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.

The President outlined government’s programme of action for the year ahead, highlighting progress made, key priorities for economic growth and job creation, measures to address the cost of living, strengthen service delivery, combat crime and corruption, and advance South Africa’s role on the continent and globally.

The debate provides Members of Parliament with an opportunity to deliberate on the policy priorities and commitments announced by the President.

President Ramaphosa will reply to the debate on Thursday, 19 February 2026.

The details of the debate are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Venue: Nieuwmeester Parking Dome, Cape Town
Time: 14h00

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) Announces Free Access to All eBooks During Ramadan and Eid al‑Fitr

Source: APO


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The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) is pleased to announce special complimentary access to all its e-books available on the online bookstore from 18 February to 3 April 2026, in celebration of Ramadan and Eid al‑Fitr.

During this period, IsDBI’s full collection of Islamic economics and finance publications will be available for free for reading through the IsDBI eBook Reader. Once downloaded to the user’s personal library on the Reader, the ebooks will remain permanently accessible even after the promotional period.

IsDBI’s extensive catalogue includes more than four decades of cutting‑edge research and insights designed to support professionals, policymakers, academics, and students.

In his comments on this occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, “We are delighted to invite professionals, researchers, and the public to take advantage of this opportunity to explore and benefit from a vast collection of knowledge and actionable insights. This initiative reflects IsDBI’s commitment to promoting knowledge sharing and intellectual dialogue.”

After the free‑access period ends on 3 April 2026, all ebooks that are paid publications on the online bookstore will revert to their original prices. Free titles will continue to remain free.

More information on the IsDBI eBook Reader is available here: https://isdbinstitute.org/ebook-reader-application/

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

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About the IsDB Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/

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Egypt Seeks Strengthened Continental Mining Cooperation Through African Mining Week (AMW 2026) Participation

Source: APO


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A delegation from Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MOPMN) met with the Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) team to discuss the country’s anticipated participation in the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW), set to take place in Cape Town later this year.

Scheduled for October 14–16, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, AMW will bring together African mining markets – including Egypt – with global investors to facilitate partnerships, deal-making and dialogue on the future of Africa’s mining sector.

The Egyptian delegation included Mr. Yasser Ramadan, Chairman, Egyptian Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority (MRMIA), Mr. Mohamad Ismael, MRMIA Board Member, Eng. Mahmoud Nagy, Undersecretary of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Eng. Abeer Elsherbiny, Undersecretary, Technical Office of the Ministry, Eng. Nehal Khalil, Head of Communication and Events – Technical Office, MOPMN and Geol. Yosra Othman – Technical Office – MOPMN.

Discussions focused on Egypt’s potential engagement at AMW 2026, while also highlighting the country’s successful participation at AMW 2025, its strong interest in AMW 2027 and the potential to host a future edition of the event.

The Egyptian delegation emphasized its interest in using AMW as a platform to showcase the country’s extensive and commercially attractive mining prospects, alongside priority themes including legislation optimization, investment incentives, government-investor collaboration and local value addition.

Egypt is rich in a diverse array of mineral resources, particularly in the Eastern Desert and Sinai Peninsula. Key resources include gold (estimated at over 9 million ounces), 660 million tons of iron oxides, substantial deposits of phosphates, copper, high purity silica sand and coal.

Egyptian officials also highlighted the country’s mining cadastre – a digital platform scheduled for launch in Q2 2026 – which is expected to streamline investor access to opportunities, reduce red tape and significantly shorten permitting timelines. In addition, Egypt outlined ongoing cooperation discussions with Ghana and Nigeria aimed at strengthening intra-African partnership, noting that AMW could play a catalytic role in advancing this continental collaboration agenda.

“Egypt is making significant progress in mineral processing and beneficiation. The country has a strong mining foundation, and AMW may presents an important opportunity to deepen cooperation with other African players,” said James Chester, CEO of ECP.

Rachelle Kasongo, Event Director of AMW, underscored the event’s role in supporting Egypt’s mineral beneficiation objectives, particularly following the country’s gold value chain financing agreement with the African Export-Import Bank signed in late 2025.

As Africa’s official platform for shaping and advancing mining sector trends, AMW can integrate key topics influencing Egypt’s mining industry, while connecting global investors with Egyptian regulators, mining companies and emerging project opportunities.

Held under the theme Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value, AMW 2026 will feature high-level panel discussions, exclusive networking sessions and project showcases examining the role of Egypt and Africa’s mining value chains in securing global commodity supply chains.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Call for renewed push to secure water and sanitation across Africa

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for renewed push to secure water and sanitation across Africa

Namibian President Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on African leaders to re-energise efforts to improve access to clean water and safe sanitation, saying that delayed investment has left millions vulnerable to climate shocks, poor health, and economic stagnation.

Addressing the African Union Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) Summit on Sunday, President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the gathering was taking place at a critical moment under the African Union (AU) theme of the year: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.

“This Water Summit is being convened at the right time,” she said, stressing that water security must now be treated as a strategic development priority rather than an assumed natural endowment.

For decades, she noted, many African countries, particularly those endowed with perennial rivers, regarded water availability as guaranteed.

“Most countries in Africa took it for granted that access to water was as easy as walking to the river to fetch it. As such, allocating adequate funds to proper water infrastructure was not considered a top priority.

“However, the accelerating impacts of climate change have forced governments to confront a new reality. Climate change opened our eyes. What we considered permanent sources of water have been drying up,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

She acknowledged that investments in water and sanitation across the continent have been delayed and insufficient but urged leaders to adopt a forward-looking approach.

“Let us consider our delayed and limited investments in terms of ‘better late than never.’ Our gathering here today must re-energise our efforts to work towards improving access to clean water and sanitation.”

She highlighted that Namibia has played an active role in advancing the continental water investment agenda. In 2023, the country co-chaired the AU-Africa Water Investment Programme International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa. The panel supported the publication of two key documents, namely the Africa’s Rising Investment Tide and the Africa Water Investment Action Plan.

According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, these documents provide practical guidance for AU Member States, development partners, and the private sector on how to mobilise an additional US$30 billion per year by 2030 to fund climate-resilient water infrastructure and sustainable sanitation systems.

“Commitments should be made and resources mobilised with the aim of closing the water investment gap,” she said, adding that implementation of both the AIP High-Level Panel Investment Action Plan and the UN 2023 Water Action Agenda in Africa must be accelerated.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also highlighted the broader security implications of water scarcity and inadequate sanitation, cautioning that shortages can fuel migration, displacement and even cross-border tensions.

“Water scarcity and sanitation pressures can lead to migration and displacement, which could trigger internal and cross-border conflicts,” she warned.

Targeted and results-driven investments are required to ensure sustainable water sources and prevent such conflicts, she added.

Sanitation ensures dignity

Beyond economic and security considerations, Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed the human dignity dimension of sanitation.

She said sanitation ensures dignity, good health, and a better life.

“The continent still lacks basic sanitation in many communities, a situation long neglected. Now that we have identified it as a priority, investments in sanitation programmes and projects are highly recommended.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah also urged leaders to prioritise community-centred service delivery, noting that improved sanitation is essential for public health and social well-being.

She noted Namibia’s own policy framework as an example of national commitment. Guided by Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), Namibia adopted a National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy that promotes sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene through integrated planning, community participation and clear national targets for 2030.

The policy also emphasises environmental sustainability and efficient use of water resources.
“These are the types of policies that African countries and development partners should invest in and seek funding for,” she said.

She said Namibia is honoured to host the Global Water Fund as it relocates its headquarters to Windhoek.

“This reflects growing confidence in our commitment to sustainable water management and regional cooperation,” she said, adding that the move will contribute meaningfully to advancing water security and safe sanitation for all in Africa.

She further voiced optimism that renewed political will and collective commitment would translate into tangible progress.

“It is my hope that with our commitments and renewed drive for action, we will raise the required funds to ensure Africa’s water security and sanitation for all are achieved,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Africa urged to turn water investment commitments into delivery

Source: Government of South Africa

Africa urged to turn water investment commitments into delivery

Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has called on African leaders and partners to move decisively from pledges to implementation, warning that commitments alone will not deliver the water infrastructure the continent urgently needs.

Delivering closing remarks at the High-Level Side Event on Water Investment in Africa on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kikwete commended the African Union Commission, the Government of South Africa and development partners for convening what he described as a critical follow-up to the AU–Africa Water Investment Summit held in Cape Town alongside the G20 Summit last year.

Kikwete addressed the gathering in his capacity as the Alternate Co-Chair of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, Chair of the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA), and Chair of the Africa Coordination Unit, which serves as the Secretariat of the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP).

“In these roles, I have witnessed firsthand the steady transformation from political vision to structured investment architecture,” he said.

He described the Cape Town Africa Water Investment Summit as a historic milestone, noting that between USD 10 billion and USD 12 billion in annual commitments had been pledged to support water development across the continent.

More than 80 projects from 38 countries were showcased, demonstrating what he called Africa’s shift from general aspirations to credible, investment-ready pipelines.

“Africa is no longer speaking in generalities. We are presenting credible, investment-ready pipelines,” Kikwete said.

However, he warned that the true test lies ahead. “Pledges alone do not deliver infrastructure nor water. What matters now is disciplined follow-through.” 

Kikwete welcomed progress reports presented during the session on investment pipelines and institutional systems designed to ensure delivery. He singled out the AIP–PIDA [Africa Water Investment Programme – Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa] Water Investment Scorecard as one of the most significant new accountability instruments.

Developed with strong technical support from the Global Water Partnership Organisation and other partners, the scorecard enables AU Member States to track progress, identify bottlenecks and strengthen governance in water investments.

He congratulated the African Union Commission for launching the first Scorecard Report.

“This is not merely a publication; it is a governance instrument. It signals that Africa is serious about measuring, tracking, and accelerating water investments with transparency and discipline,” Kikwete said.

Kikwete also extended congratulations to Namibia on concluding a Headquarters Agreement to host the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) in Windhoek, marking the relocation of its primary seat from Stockholm, Sweden.

“This is not simply an institutional arrangement. Hosting the GWPO in Namibia, in strategic collaboration with the Global Water Investment Platform, represents a unique opportunity for Africa and the Global South to lead.”

He commended Namibia’s leadership for positioning Africa at the centre of global water governance.
Outlining the Africa Water Investment Programme architecture, Kikwete said the AIP provides an integrated framework for project origination and technical preparation anchored on African soil, investment structuring and financial mobilisation through the Global Water Investment Platform, and high-level advocacy via the G20 Presidential Legacy, particularly the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments.

“This model positions Africa not as a recipient of fragmented financing, but as a co-architect of a new global water investment system,” he said.

Kikwete emphasised that Africa now has political leadership, a defined pipeline of programmes and an institutional architecture rooted on the continent.

“What we must now accelerate is financial closure and implementation,” he said.

As the High-Level Panel, Kikwete pledged continued engagement at the highest political level to sustain momentum. As the AIP Secretariat, he said GWPSA would intensify technical support, project preparation, and blended finance structuring.

Kikwete called on Ministers from the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and development partners to ensure commitments translate into bankable projects and tangible impact.

“The measure of our success will not be in the number of declarations adopted, but in the number of communities gaining access to safe water and sanitation, the socio-economic sectors receiving the water they need to thrive, and the resilience we build against climate shocks,” Kikwete said.

He concluded with a call for urgency and unity. “Let this AU Summit year on water and sanitation be remembered as the year Africa moved decisively from commitment to capital, and from capital to construction.” – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Government at work to resolve water challenges

Source: Government of South Africa

Government at work to resolve water challenges

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has moved to assure that government is at work to resolve the water crisis currently experienced in parts of the country.

Ntshavheni was speaking during the Debate of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) held in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon.

The water challenges reached a crescendo last week when residents in Johannesburg protested, with some maintaining to have been without water for at least three weeks.

“The work has already commenced. The OV [Operation Vulindlela] team and the Department of Water and Sanitation have started with the assessments towards a water action plan that should be ready by mid-March 2026, and a call for technical capacity as part of mobilising resources and expertise to support municipalities in crisis is in the works.

“The current draft Water Action Plan is focused on immediate crisis, propelling reforms in the water sector and unlocking investments in the municipal infrastructure,” Minister Ntshavheni assured.

During the SONA last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee to resolve the challenges faced by citizens in a similar vein to the success of the National Energy Crisis Committee.

“This structure will bring together all existing efforts into a single coordinating body.  It will deploy technical experts and resources from the national government to municipalities facing water challenges. It will ensure that action is taken swiftly and effectively to address the problem. 

“To address the challenges effectively, we will not hesitate to use the powers enshrined in the Constitution and in the Water Services Act to intervene in municipalities where necessary.

“We will hold to account those who neglect their responsibility to supply water to our people,” President Ramaphosa said at the time. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB

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Kizza Besigye: the firebrand who has shaped opposition politics in Uganda

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Barney Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Security, Leadership and Development Education, King’s College London

Uganda’s Kizza Besigye has been described as possibly the most arrested man in Africa. Besigye was once President Yoweri Museveni’s ally, and personal physician. He broke ranks with Museveni in 1999, and emerged as the most long-standing political opponent to the ageing president, who has run the country since 1986. For this, Besigye has been jailed, kept under house arrest, renditioned, forced into exile, and endured state violence countless times. He has been in jail since 2024. Barney Walsh and Dennis Jjuuko have studied Besigye’s remarkable political career.

Who is Kizza Besigye?

Kizza Besigye was born in Rukungiri district, south-western Uganda, in April 1956. After graduating with a degree in human medicine from Makerere University in 1980, he joined the National Resistance Army (NRA) rebellion, which dislodged the dictatorial rule of President Milton Obote in 1986.

Besigye served in different senior positions in Museveni’s new government, including minister of state for internal affairs and the president’s office. In 1993, he was appointed the army’s chief of logistics and engineering and later senior military adviser to the defence minister. He was part of the inner sanctum of the National Resistance Movement which became the civilian government.

Besigye remained close to Museveni until 1999, when he abandoned the ruling party. He said the movement had departed from its original principles, like democracy through free elections, security for all and eliminating corruption.

He believed Uganda needed liberation again, this time from a government he’d helped establish. This would define his life’s work.

Under the pressure group “Reform Agenda”, and later the political party Forum for Democratic Change, he was the leading contender against Museveni in successive presidential polls. He scored 27% of the vote in 2001, 37% in 2006, 26% in 2011, and 35% in 2016. The Ugandan supreme court acknowledged irregularities but refused to overturn the result in 2006.

After leaving the government, Besigye became the focal point for Ugandans wary of Museveni’s increasingly vicious authoritarianism. He was forced to flee to South Africa after the 2001 presidential elections. He has been brutalised, detained and charged numerous times. His younger brother died in 2007 from illness associated with incarceration on trumped-up conspiracy charges.

When the opposition one day take the reins of power in Uganda, the debt it owes Besigye will be immense.

What are the highlights of this legacy?

Besigye, 69, stands out as the foremost opposition figure who was part of Museveni’s original Bush War victory. His 2011 “walk to work” protests, in response to dramatic fuel prices and general inflation, will not be forgotten in the history of Uganda’s political economy.

Besigye seemed to think this civil action could be Uganda’s “Arab Spring” moment. Some mocked his efforts as a mis-reading of the socio-economic conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.

The protests were, indeed, subdued in the face of brutal repression by security agencies.

But similar protests would soon remove Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe in 2017 and Blaise Compaoré in Burkina Faso in 2014.

Besigye has developed credibility as someone trustworthy because of what he has been through. And he has a heartfelt connection with supporters.

His leadership has transcended other opposition figures during Museveni’s administration in terms of longevity and consistent vision for change. Other opposition leaders have emerged only fleetingly, failing to sustain any moral standing or coherent transformative vision.

As we argue in our recent paper, it is unclear whether opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (better known as Bobi Wine) could have emerged without Besigye laying the foundation and sustaining the momentum for change.

It’s important, too, to recognise his failings.

He is given to outbursts. His call for Chinese debts to be written off as odious was thought to alienate an essential development partner. His storming of what he described as a “rigging centre” during the 2016 election led to accusations of leading mobs to take over elections.

He is also partly to blame for the fact that Uganda’s opposition has not yet mustered a single candidate against Museveni due to competing egos and moral certitudes. Besigye has never seemed to be able to convince other opposition candidates to drop their candidacy and support him (or to do that for them).

Nevertheless, his individual role has been fundamental to the emergence of the idea and principle of peaceful opposition politics emerging in Uganda in the post-1986 era.

This is not to be underestimated in a country which has yet to experience a peaceful change of government since independence in 1962.

What is the context in which you assess his legacy?

Uganda’s post-1986 political landscape has been dominated, and controlled, by Museveni. His most recent election victory in January 2026 will extend his reign beyond 40 years.

While his public popularity has been in decline, Museveni has relied on two things. First is the Ugandan political and military elite. Since the mid-2000s he has taken steps to proof his regime against a military coup, by keeping influential military personnel on board.

Second is external support, mainly from western governments. This stems from Uganda’s involvement as a key security actor in the sub-region at the behest of western powers. This role has gradually been prioritised over the west’s pursuit of human rights.

Partly for these reasons, Besigye was never able to get the full backing of western donors to support his democratic goals. Instead they supported Museveni’s regime.

A lack of support for Besigye in western capitals was evident in 2024 when he was abducted while visiting Kenya, and returned as a prisoner to Kampala. It barely registered international condemnation or action – save for a belated push from US lawmakers.

This silence must be seen within a global context of democratic backsliding, including developments within President Donald Trump’s second term.

In east Africa, Kenya’s violent response to the 2024 Gen Z riots in Nairobi included state-led abductions and enforced disappearances targeting young people linked to the protest movement.

In Tanzania, the October 2025 presidential elections also saw human rights abuses of protestors met with unjustified lethal force.

What next?

Besigye has not managed to shake up Museveni’s inner circle of corrupt powerbrokers. This is because his progressive democratic vision of change threatens their privileges.

Neither has he ever enjoyed the global profile that he would have hoped for, such as Raila Odinga of Kenya or Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe managed – even as Bobi Wine did briefly before the 2021 election.

But the idea of a free and fair election is now at least ingrained in Uganda’s people. In a February 2025 interview, he revealed the lens through which his life work should be viewed:

We can only influence whether change happens quickly or is delayed, but change is inevitable. Sooner or later, Ugandans will take charge of their destiny and rebuild their country in a way that ensures equal opportunities for everyone.

If Besigye’s decades of sacrifice are to mean anything beyond retrospective praise, they demand engagement now, not memorialisation later. To remain silent is to collude in the slow erasure of a political life spent insisting that a truly democratic Uganda was a cause worth fighting for.

– Kizza Besigye: the firebrand who has shaped opposition politics in Uganda
– https://theconversation.com/kizza-besigye-the-firebrand-who-has-shaped-opposition-politics-in-uganda-275568