AfWASA International Congress and Exhibition
The African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) International Congress and Exhibition provides a platform to share ideas and developments in the water and sanitation sector.
The congress
The AfWASA congress, subtitled Water and sanitation for all: A secure future for Africa, will showcase new practices and innovations to accelerate universal access to safe water and sanitation. The programme highlights both research and practice. IHE Delft experts will speak in several sessions, and IHE Delft will host an exhibition in partnership with The Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) and VEI Dutch Water Operators. IHE Delft Rector Eddy Moors will give a keynote speech and sign cooperation agreements with the National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) in Uganda and one with Afwasa itself.
List of sessions:
18 February
Time: 10:30-12:00
Scaling up restoration efforts for wetlands in Uganda: findings and lessons learnt from the SURE-WET project (Session: 2.2.1.1)
This seminar workshop, organized by IHE Delft and Makere Univeristy, Uganda, addresses wetland restoration as a means to restore ecosystem services such as water storage and purification, flood control and more. In addition, restored wetlands help improve biodiversity, and they can contribute to improving livelihoods.
Speakers will highlight key considerations for wetlands restoration and share lessons from restoration efforts focusing on the Lubigi wetland in Kampala and Rufuha wetland in Ntungamo, Uganda. Topics include the involvement of local communities in the restoration process and the importance of visioning and objective setting for wetland restoration.
The session is based on the scientific findings of the SURE-WET project, financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). Speakers include Anne van Dam, IHE Delft Associate Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis.
18 February
Time: 13:30-15:00
Sustaining Rural Water Services: Interdisciplinary Insights on Operations and Maintenance Approaches and Challenges (Session: 2.3.2.1)
This session, organized by IHE Delft, Strathmore University, Kenya, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana, and University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, highlights the unique challenge of delivering water to rural areas. It casts light on the approaches and challenges of operation and maintenance of water infrastructure in rural areas. Often, governments, non-governmental organizations and donors invest substantially in the construction of new infrastructure to bring water to rural communities. After installation, operation and maintenance are frequently handed over to the rural communities, but the community groups that handle this responsibility often have limited capacities, leading to damages that prevent water delivery.
Speakers will present and discuss an interdisciplinary exploration of the different challenges related to rural water management and governance. The agenda also includes a panel discussion in which experts will share insights into different approaches to achieving sustainable rural water services.
The session is based on the scientific findings of the EcoRural and SAFE WATER projects, which are supported by the IHE Delft Water and Development Partnership Programme. Speakers include Akosua Boakye-Ansah, Lecturer/Researcher in Water Services Governance, and William Tsakpa.
19 February
Time: 09:00-10:00
Plenary Session: Capacity Building and Partnerships – the way to go for sustained service delivery
Sustained service delivery is critical for long-term development in the water and sanitation sector. However, many organizations, institutions and governments face challenges such as resource constraints, skills gaps, and inefficient systems that hinder their ability to provide consistent and high-quality services.
This plenary session will explore how capacity development through skills development, institutional strengthening, and knowledge sharing - combined with strategic partnerships among governments, private sector players, NGOs and international organizations, can create resilient service delivery systems. By fostering collaboration and investing in human and institutional capacity, stakeholders can enhance efficiency, innovation, and sustainability in delivering essential services.
The session brings together experts, policymakers and practitioners to share best practices, lessons learned, and actionable strategies to build capacity and foster meaningful partnerships for impactful and long-lasting service delivery.
Eddy Moors, IHE Delft rector, is a keynote speaker. The event is moderated by IHE Delft alumna Rose Kaggwa, Senior Director Business and Scientific Services, National Water & Sewerage Corporation and International Water Association Senior Vice President.
19 February
Time: 15:30-17:00
Financing Resilient Water Utilities (Session: 3.4.5.1)
This session, organized by IHE Delft, WaterWorX and the Global Water Operators’ Partnership Alliance (GWOPA), highlights approaches and strategies for water utilities to find funding to improve their resilience. The challenge of water utilities providing sustainable water services is compounded by climate change. Extreme weather events such as flooding or drought can have a devastating impact on water infrastructure and the ability to provide services. Addressing these challenges requires the water utility to become more resilient. Achieving greater resilience requires funding to develop and modify infrastructure, develop water sources, etc. In this session, we examine how a number of African water utilities are engaging with this challenge and sourcing funds to become more resilient.
Speakers from water utilities will share their experiences of sourcing funding for resilience. After the presentation of three case studies, experts will discuss possibilities and challenges of financing work to strengthen resilience.
The session is coordinated by Klaas Schwartz, Professor of Water Services Governance and chaired by Bernice Ephraim-Armoo, PhD Candidate, Climate-resilient Water Utilities.
Alumni gathering
All alumni at the congress are invited to an IHE Delft Alumni Networking Gathering, set to be held in the evening of Tuesday 18 February. Please RSVP via email to alumnirelations@un-ihe.org.
IHE Delft delegates in Kampala include:
- Eddy Moors, Rector
- Klaas Schwartz, Professor of Water Services Governance
- Anne van Dam, Associate Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis
- Akosua Boakye-Ansah, Lecturer/Researcher in Water Services Governance
- Bernice Ephraim-Armoo, PhD Candidate
- William Tsakpa, IHE Delft MSc alumnus, Executive Director of Vulnerable Aid Organization
- Susanna Lööf, Communication Manager
This page will be updated with information about the time and place of sessions featuring IHE Delft speakers as soon as this is available.
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