The global environment and climate change are inextricably linked, and water resources, more than any other resource, will be most affected by climate change. Today, Africa is in a more difficult situation than other parts of the world, facing challenges such as droughts, tight urban water supply and demand, and severe flooding; the WHO/UNICEF reports that as of 2019, about 780 million people worldwide lack access to safe and stable water. In addition, according to the UN World Water Development Report 2019, half of those without access to safe drinking water worldwide are concentrated in Africa, and only 24% of the total population in sub-Saharan Africa has access to safe drinking water.

 The water resource problems are caused by the uneven distribution of resources over time and space (existence of rainy and dry seasons, arid and semi-arid areas and wet areas), lack of funds for water infrastructure both for urban and rural areas, and increased demand for water in various regions due to rapid population growth and rising standards of living, which are exacerbated by the impact of climate change and global warming. At TICAD8 in August 2022, active discussions were held to promote climate change countermeasures in Africa, including the adaptation measures to address the water resource problems.

The SDGs, adopted in 2015, set one of its goals to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all people by 2030. Various development partners, including UN agencies, bilateral international cooperation agencies, and NGOs, share these goals and are working together to improve access to water, but further action is needed to accelerate the pace of progress. Under these circumstances, the importance of partnerships is being emphasized. The UN World Water Development Report 2023, published in March 2023, also addresses the importance of partnership and cooperation for water and sanitation.

JICA and UNDP have long been involved in efforts to improve safe water supply in Africa. For example, JICA has provided cooperation for both capacity development and infrastructure development from a long-term perspective, such as cooperation using its extensive domestic network and knowledge, or experience and technology that Japan has accumulated. In the field of urban water supply, JICA aims to improve not only access to safe drinking water sources, but also the standards of services that enable people to obtain good quality water at an affordable price in their premises whenever needed. In the field of rural water supply, JICA continuously improve access to safe drinking water sources, by combining support for strengthening village-level operation and maintenance systems, as well as administrative systems, while supporting to raise awareness of sanitation and hygiene in collaboration with the health and education sectors.

The UNDP Africa Borderlands Centre (ABC) is currently developing climate resilient groundwater for agro-pastoralism and domestic use in selected borderland locations in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. This area, called Horn of the Africa, is facing a severe drought following the worst performing rains in 73 years and five successive failed rainy seasons. The impact of the drought in the Horn of Africa has been severe: More than 36 million people are affected, with more than 20 million in the highest categories of food insecurity, with women and girls disproportionately affected by the direct and indirect impacts of the drought. UNDP is taking actions to provide access to water for those communities, utilizing large groundwater potential which has been identified in the recent past.

 The session will discuss the importance of sustainable management of water in promoting safe water supply in Africa, which is said to be the most affected by climate change, touching on the challenges and various initiatives, including those by the private sector.