Capacity Building: AfWASA to Organise a Benchmarking Visit on Inclusive Sanitation in Durban
From September 9 to 11, 2025, the African Water and Sanitation Association will organize a benchmarking visit on inclusive sanitation at the eThekwini Municipality in Durban, South Africa. This event will bring together high-level delegations from Kisumu (Kenya), Livingstone (Zambia), Mpape (Nigeria), and Anyama (Côte d’Ivoire). The objective is to strengthen the participating cities' capacities, identify replicable models, and develop action plans tailored to their local contexts.
During the three-day visit, the delegation of local elected officials, technical managers, and sanitation ministry representatives will participate in field visits, peer-to-peer exchanges, and strategic dialogues with eThekwini’s technical and municipal authorities. Participants will explore the approaches and innovations that have made Durban a model for inclusive sanitation.
The program includes presentations on waste management regulations, alternative sanitation solutions, applied research, and water quality monitoring through analytical testing. Other sessions will cover operational monitoring and evaluation, community education and social research, financing mechanisms, and waste valorization within a circular economy framework.
Through the exchange of experiences and field visits, participants will strengthen their technical and institutional capabilities, enhance the governance of their sanitation services, and develop practical initiatives to improve water quality and waste management in their communities.
This benchmarking visit is part of the SAO CWIS program, implemented by AfWASA with financial support from the Gates Foundation. The program aims to strengthen the capacities of sanitation operators for the implementation of citywide inclusive sanitation.
