UN Chief Warns Millions in Africa Lack Safe Water Due to Low Investment, Weak Governance

UN Chief Warns Millions in Africa Lack Safe Water Due to Low Investment, Weak Governance
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United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres has warned that millions of people across Africa still lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, attributing the shortfall to insufficient investment and weak governance of water resources, according to his recent statements.

In a video message marking global efforts on water and sanitation, Guterres said water is “life” and a fundamental human right, but that gaps in funding and weak management systems have left large segments of the African population without reliably safe water or sanitation services.

He highlighted that inadequate infrastructure and governance hinder progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 — universal access to safely managed water and sanitation — stressing that increased domestic resource mobilization and governance reform are essential.

Guterres also called for stronger global solidarity and cooperation, including improved access to financing, debt relief mechanisms and public‑private partnerships, to support African countries in expanding and maintaining water systems.

The UN’s Africa Day 2026 message underscored that addressing water access challenges is critical to health, dignity, economic opportunity and sustainable development across the continent.