Climate proofing transboundary water agreements in Africa
Sustainable socio-economic development is founded on water security which is vital for food and energy production, health, and livelihoods and enables industrial development, liveable cities, global biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems. Currently, one in every three people in Africa faces water insecurity. Only 58% of Africans have access to safely managed drinking water services. This figure is even lower in sub-Saharan Africa where, in 2017, only 27% of people had access to potable water. Across the continent, 72% of people lack basic sanitation services. As a result, there is a high incidence of disease that reduces human vitality and the overall economic productivity of Africa. The transformational potential of water is enormous, considering less than 5% of cultivated land is irrigated today and only 10% of hydroelectricity potential in Africa is utilized.
