Cyril Ramaphosa Launches Global Water Platform at Africa Summit

Johannesburg, Aug 14 (PTI) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended a warm welcome to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and international dignitaries as he announced the inception of a pioneering global water platform. He emphasized that water investments should be a central topic in climate and finance forums, rather than a secondary consideration.

Ramaphosa has called upon Modi and other global leaders to join the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments. This G20 initiative aims to ensure access to safe water for everyone.

During the inauguration of the Africa Water Investment Summit in Cape Town on Wednesday, Ramaphosa declared, “The establishment of the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments will expand the Africa Water Investment Programme into a Global Water Investment Platform.” The summit is being conducted as part of South Africa's role as the G20 chair in 2025.

Ramaphosa stated, “Today, it is imperative that water investment does not remain an afterthought in climate and finance dialogues. It must be prioritized, funded, monitored, and advocated.”

The newly unveiled platform aspires to be the preeminent global forum for political and financial investment in water, focusing on tracking progress, unlocking finances, providing annual reports, and aligning efforts across the G20, UN, multilateral development banks, and the private sector.

The Africa Water Investment Summit will endorse a declaration that aims to commit nations to increase investments, enhance governance, and bolster accountability in the water sector.

The Summit also aims to elevate the significance of water within both global political and financial agendas, extending from the G20 and COP30 to the UN 2026 Water Conference and beyond, he pointed out.

“Our collective goal is to establish water not just as a basic human right, but as a driver of economic transformation, innovation, and peace,” said Ramaphosa. He highlighted the potential of the Summit to unite Africa, saying, “We should depart from this Summit with concrete deals, robust partnerships, and a sustainable global mechanism to maintain our momentum.”

Besides Prime Minister Modi, the South African President revealed that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the UK, have been chosen as Council members.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, President Joao Lourenco of Angola and African Union Chair, along with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, who will co-host the UN 2026 Water Conference, were also announced as Council members.

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