IWA and ESAWAS sign MoU to strengthen water and sanitation regulation across Africa

The International Water Association (IWA) and ESAWAS have formalised their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in advancing effective, inclusive, and sustainable regulation of water and sanitation services across Africa.

Signed by IWA Executive Director Kala Vairavamoorthy and ESAWAS Executive Director Yvonne Magawa, the MoU establishes a five-year framework for a strategic partnership between the two organisations, focused on amplifying knowledge, innovation, and capacity-building in the water and sanitation sector.

The MoU underscores both organisations’ shared commitment to supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). Through this collaboration, IWA and ESAWAS aim to bridge policy and practice by co-developing knowledge, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and promoting resilient, climate-smart water and sanitation services.

“This partnership reflects our joint vision of connecting global expertise with regional action,” said Kala. “By joining forces with ESAWAS, we can better support regulators, utilities, and sector professionals in implementing solutions that deliver equitable, efficient, and sustainable water services across Africa.”

Founded in 2007, ESAWAS brings together national regulators from across Sub-Saharan Africa to promote effective and innovative regulation of water supply and sanitation (WSS) services. Its members work collaboratively to share experiences, develop good regulatory practices, and strengthen capacity to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable services.

Through the partnership, IWA and ESAWAS will collaborate on a range of initiatives, including:

• Promoting the universalisation of water and sanitation services and strengthening the link between cities and their water resources;
• Advancing regulatory tools and practices to build resilient water and sanitation systems;
• Supporting capacity development for regulators and professionals in governance, policy, and service delivery;
• Advocating for the adoption of inclusive and innovative approaches to urban sanitation; and
• Supporting joint representation and thought leadership in global and regional forums such as the IWA International Water Regulators Forum (IWRF).

Under the MoU, IWA and ESAWAS will jointly develop annual work plans that define specific objectives and activities aligned with both organisations’ strategic priorities. These may include training and peer-learning programmes, technical publications, and collaborative engagement in international policy dialogues.

By combining IWA’s global knowledge network and ESAWAS’s regional expertise, the partnership will help translate global best practices into locally relevant solutions, reinforcing Africa’s leadership in sustainable water and sanitation regulation.