Malawi Hosts 95th AFWASA Conference at BICC in Lilongwe

Today, Minister of Water and sanitation Hon Abida Mia had the honour of opening the 95th African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) Strategic and Technical Council Conference which was held at BICC in the capital, Lilongwe.

The conference drew water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) professionals across Africa. “It was my honour, on behalf of His Excellency the President, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, to extend a heartfelt welcome to all international delegates to Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa.” Mia said.

In her address, she told the conference that climate change affects us all, with erratic weather patterns inducing extreme floods and droughts, and as a result damaging water systems.

However, she also emphasized that this is a time for hope. We can turn these challenges into opportunities, if we protect our environment and invest wisely in our water resources.

Mia shared Malawi’s efforts to build climate-resilient water systems, including the use of solar power, replanting trees in catchment areas, and assessing climate risk factors in all new projects. These measures are guided by our Malawi 2063 vision and the National Resilience Strategy.

She also called for us as Africans to act. We need improved financing for water and sanitation. Us as stakeholders need to find innovative ways to unlock support from climate funds and improve private sector participation. She reminded the conference that water is not just a basic right but it also holds the key to our social and economic future.

She encouraged more collaboration between stakeholders across Africa. Water knows no borders, and neither should our solutions. We must act now, for Africa and the World.

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