The 22nd AfWASA International Congress and Exhibition will be held from 18 to 22 February 2024, in Guinea Conakry. A few months before the event, the Pan-African Association organized, this Tuesday, September 26, in Conakry, the capital that will host the event, the official launching ceremony, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Guinea, Dr. Bernard Goumou.
"Supporting human development in Africa through investments in the water and sanitation sector" is the theme of this congress which will bring together about 2000 people in the Guinean capital.
For Camara Aboubacar, Director General of the Guinea Water Company, this theme is a call to action. "It reminds us that we have a collective responsibility to make a difference, create opportunities, and open doors for future generations." For him, AfWASA Congress is "an opportunity to come together with a common goal: to share our knowledge, experiences and ideas, in the hope of finding innovative and sustainable solutions that will have a positive impact on our communities".
In his speech, Mr. Sylvain Usher, Executive Director of AfWASA explained that this launching ceremony aims to inform national and international opinion, to reassure all stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector, that the 22nd Congress of tAfWASA will indeed take place in Guinea Conakry. Afterwards, referring to the challenges of access to water and sanitation services on the continent, he said: "It is our duty, as an Association and son of Africa, (...) to ensure that each of our fellow citizens has access to clean and safe water, as well as adequate sanitation facilities." Therefore, this congress will not only be a forum for discussion, it will be a platform for solutions and actions.
Mr. Aly Seydouba Soumah, Guinean Minister of Energy, Hydraulics and Hydrocarbons, for his part, said that the transitional authorities in Guinea have made access to drinking water and sanitation a national priority. This is why he continued, "we dare to believe that the organization in Guinea of this 22nd Congress of AfWASA will further expand the framework conducive to the mobilization of technical and financial resources and expertise necessary to strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure, for the happiness of our populations."
Concluding the series of speeches, the Prime Minister of Guinea, Dr. Bernard Goumou pleaded for the challenges of access to drinking water and sanitation to be a priority within the policies of African governments, so that sustainable solutions are found for the populations. Speaking about his country Guinea, he acknowledged that despite being described as the water tower of West Africa, due to its enormous water potential, the country struggles to take advantage of its resources. This is why he hoped that this 22nd Congress would be historic for his country, Africa and the world, by its political impact on water and sanitation management." The stability of our societies in Africa, the health security of our populations, and the preservation of the environment that we must leave as a legacy to our children."
It should be noted that the launching ceremony of the 22nd International Congress ended with the official inauguration of the Congress logo.