AfWASA-ASEA: Towards a Strategic Alliance to Sustainably Transform African Public Utilities
On 17 February 2026, the headquarters of the Association des Sociétés d’Électricité d’Afrique (ASEA) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, hosted a high-level meeting dedicated to revitalizing the strategic partnership with the African Water and Sanitation Association. This meeting marks a decisive milestone in building a structured and ambitious cooperation framework aimed at advancing integrated governance of water and electricity public utilities across Africa.
The discussions brought together Engineer Abel Didier Tella, Director General of ASEA; Mr. Jeannot KOUDEBI, Administrator of Affairs in charge of Communication and External Relations; Alexis Rechain, Chief Executive Officer of Str@tec-arc, a consulting and engineering firm; and Gosso Olivier, Executive Director of AfWASA.
In a continental environment increasingly challenged by the impacts of climate change, rapid demographic growth, and mounting fiscal pressures, participants reaffirmed the strategic interdependence of the water and electricity sectors. Energy efficiency in water services, digital transformation, cybersecurity, optimized asset management, and enhanced commercial performance were identified as priority levers for impact.
Both associations agreed to strengthen the coordination of their institutional agendas, develop high-value joint initiatives, and promote the pooling of support functions, particularly in information systems and data governance.
Beyond institutional rapprochement, this renewed momentum embodies a shared ambition: to structure an integrated continental advocacy platform capable of mobilizing governments and financial partners around a common objective more efficient, more resilient, and sustainably transformed African public utilities.
