N’Djamena hosts global water forum with leaders tackling africa’s growing crisis

N’Djamena has been chosen to host the African Water Forum, a high-stakes event co-organized by Chad’s government and the World Bank under the Water Forward initiative. Over two days, key decision-makers—including heads of state, finance and water ministers, agricultural and energy officials, regional institution leaders, multinational development bank representatives, and private sector executives—will convene to address pressing issues like water security, climate resilience, and universal access to clean drinking water. The theme, “From Vision to Action,” signals a shift from dialogue to tangible strategies for sustainable water management.

Diplomatic heavyweights gather to drive water investment

The forum’s roster features prominent figures such as Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank, who will co-chair the sessions alongside Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. Beyond formal discussions, the event is expected to finalize the WASH+ investment roadmap, advance national water governance agreements, and unlock funding from public, private, and blended sources to fast-track critical water infrastructure projects across the region.

Millions still without safe water—urgent action needed

This gathering comes at a critical moment, as the World Bank warns that over 400 million Africans still lack basic access to safe drinking water and more than 700 million remain without improved sanitation. Without urgent investment, water scarcity threatens to shave up to 6% off the GDP of some African nations—with the Sahel region facing even steeper economic losses. On the flip side, strategic water management is positioned as a catalyst for agricultural growth, energy security, public health, and regional stability.

Chad’s water crisis and its regional spillover

For Chad, the timing couldn’t be more crucial. Just months ago, the World Bank greenlit a $160 million (over 92 billion FCFA) package aimed at expanding potable water access and strengthening climate resilience in the country’s most vulnerable zones—particularly regions hosting over 1.3 million Sudanese refugees. “In a context where water and natural resource scarcity deepens community tensions, this initiative will restore access to water while rebuilding hope for the future,” noted Farouk Mollah Banna, the World Bank’s Resident Representative in Chad.

Mobilizing global support for water infrastructure

The forum aligns with Chad’s broader push to secure international financing. In late 2025, the government unveiled its national water development program in Abu Dhabi, securing over $20 billion in commitments from global partners. Since then, Chadian authorities have intensified talks with major donors—including the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), European Union, and World Food Programme (WFP)—to fund hydraulic projects and bolster the country’s resilience against climate change impacts.

A continental call for sustainable water solutions

The stakes extend far beyond Chad’s borders. The African Water Forum marks the first major African milestone for the World Bank’s Water Forward initiative, launched in April 2026. The initiative seeks to enhance water security continent-wide by fostering stronger collaboration among governments, technical and financial partners, and private entities. Its scope goes beyond drinking water and sanitation, integrating irrigation, energy production, food security, and transboundary water cooperation—critical as nearly 90% of Africa’s water resources are shared across multiple countries.