After Abidjan in 2023, academics, political leaders and development partners will converge on Conakry on 18 February 2024 for the International Congress and Exhibition of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AAEA). At least 3,000 participants, including 500 exhibitors, are expected in the Guinean capital for this 22nd meeting. For three days, the panellists, particularly from Africa, will discuss the state of implementation of the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG6) on the continent.
The theme will be “Human development in Africa through investment in the water and sanitation sector”. It will be an opportunity to share technological innovations in this field, which is still characterised by social inequalities and a lack of infrastructure, particularly south of the Sahara. This is the case in rural areas of Madagascar, where the rate of open defecation is 42% (World Bank), and in South Sudan, where there are no effective facilities to deal with water stress.
“Africa needs water, and Guinea needs it more than ever. Our nation is recognised as the water tower of West Africa for its immense water potential. However, access for the population remains a challenge. The organisation of this world event will therefore enable our people to understand just how central the management of this resource is to the priorities of our institutions. Beyond these challenges, the delegations will discover our legendary hospitality and our beautiful culture”, explains Camara Aboubacar, Managing Director of Société des Eaux de Guinée (SEG).
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The host country of the AAEA International Congress hopes to forge partnerships with potential investors to build new infrastructure (boreholes, latrines, waste collection points) to improve the living conditions of some 13.5 million Guineans. At the same time, citizen initiatives are continuing in Guinea’s 344 communes. These include the General Civic Sanitation Day decreed by the ruling military junta to combat pollution and improve public hygiene.
For more information on the AAEA International Congress, click here.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi