The opening ceremony of the 22nd Congress of the African Water and Sanitation Association was held this Sunday, February 16, 2025 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. The event was attended by Uganda's highest authorities, African ministers, development partners and numerous delegates from all over the world. On this occasion, the Executive Director of AfWASA, Olivier Gosso, recalled the importance of this meeting and presented the central role of the association in the governance and innovation of the sector.

He emphasized that AfWASA, founded in 1980 as the African Union for Water Suppliers, had evolved to adapt to the continent's challenges. Renamed the African Water and Sanitation Association, in 2004 at the Accra Congress, it took its current name in 2023 in Abidjan, thus affirming its commitment to placing sanitation at the heart of its priorities.

He said that with 45 years of expertise, AfWASA now operates in 43 African countries and works with international partners to strengthen governance, improve service quality and promote innovative solutions.

Over the past decade, the Association has mobilized more than $25 million from partners such as USAID, the Gates Foundation and other institutions to fund capacity building programs, reduce non-revenue water and improve sanitation management. It has also invested around $2 million in research grants to foster innovation in the sector.

Olivier Gosso took the opportunity to outline AfWASA's strategic ambitions for the next five years, including the creation of the African Water and Sanitation Academy, the establishment of an expert hub and the decentralization of operations centers with the opening of regional offices. He invited members and partners to pursue their commitment to building a sustainable future for the continent.

The opening ceremony was preceded by pre-conference events, namely the women's forum and the forum for young water and sanitation professionals.