Vice President Mutale Nalumango Delivers Keynote at Third African Water Conference in Lusaka

Vice President Mutale Nalumango inaugurated the Third African Implementation and Partnership Conference on Water (PANAFCON-3)in Lusaka, delivering a keynote address that underscored Zambia’s commitment to water security and sustainable sanitation across the continent.
Speaking on behalf of President Hakainde Hichilema, Vice President Nalumango emphasized the critical role of water and sanitation in Africa’s development agenda. She highlighted the necessity for bold investments, regional cooperation, and innovative financing mechanisms to ensure equitable access to clean water and dignified sanitation for all Africans.
“We must champion water and sanitation as engines of fiscal stability, job creation, and peace,” President Hichilema stated in his message, calling for a blend of public and private financing embedded in national budgets and development plans. He stressed that addressing the water and sanitation crisis is not merely a technical challenge but a test of Africa’s collective resolve.
The conference, held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre from May 27 to 29, 2025, brings together African leaders, regional bodies, development partners, and sector stakeholders. Under the theme “Assuring Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Water Security and Sanitation for the Africa We Want,” the event aims to shape the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and Policy.
Vice President Nalumango reiterated Zambia’s dedication to enhancing inclusive transboundary and international water cooperation at all levels for peace and shared prosperity. She also highlighted Zambia’s implementation of several programs and projects related to water supply, sanitation, and hygiene interventions, including the establishment of the Zambia Water Investment Programme and the Blue Economy Strategy.

The conference also featured remarks from EU Ambassador to Zambia and COMESA, Karolina Stasiak, who acknowledged the challenges in sustainable water resource management in Zambia, particularly in rural areas. She noted the EU’s collaboration with the Zambian government through the Nexus Energy and Water Programme for Zambia (NEWZA) and support for revising key national policy instruments.
Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Collins Nzovu welcomed the African Union’s choice of “Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems” as the AU theme for 2026. He emphasized that the Implementation Framework emerging from PANAFCON-3 must be bold, actionable, and grounded in the lived experiences of African communities.
PANAFCON-3 continues to serve as a pivotal platform for fostering partnerships, inspiring change, and driving investment in sanitation and hygiene across the continent