African leaders meet to discuss ways to increase access to water in Africa

In tandem with Africa Water Week, the African Minister's Council on Water (AMCOW) Summit kicked off in Johannesburg, South Africa, Monday, where discussions will center on ways to increase the water supply in Africa, BuaNews/allAfrica.com reports (11/9).

Bai-Mass Taal, AMCOW executive secretary, told summit participants that 26 countries were on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) relating to water and six are expected to meet the sanitation MDG targets, Engineering News reports. "It is of utmost importance that Africa Water Week is a building ground in establishing a realistic strategy for the next six years to meet our 2015 target of providing water to Africans in need," Taal said.

"If we continue at this rate, we will meet the MDGs target for water in 2036 and the sanitation target in 2109," Taal said, adding, "It is time for action, there have been many declarations and it is time for implementation" (Ndaba, 11/9).

Topics to be addressed during the meeting include "financing of water and sanitation infrastructure, how to close the sanitation gap, climate change and water adaptation as well as management of Africa's transboundary waters," BuaNews/allAfrica.com reports.

"Africa cannot depend on outsiders (other continents) to provide it with solutions," Taal said. "Africa first needs to invest in its own resources and then we can start thinking of bringing outside donors in to assist in our own investments," he added (11/9).