9AWW: Advancing Water System Transformation for the Africa We Want

The world faces critical water-related challenges, including Hunger (1.2 billion people live in areas with severe water scarcity in agriculture); Climate Change (by 2050, global water demand is projected to increase by 50% compared to 2000 levels); Poverty and Exclusion (in the next decade, climate change will drive 32-132 million more people into extreme poverty, affecting mostly women); Deep uncertainty; and Ecosystem Breakdown (about 89% seasonal inland wetlands are unprotected). Africa's water sector needs to intensify measures to ensure water security. With a mission to advance the transformation of water systems for climate-resilient development, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is at the forefront, drawing on its 40-year track record of water research. IWMI has set an ambitious agenda for research and innovation on water security reflecting the complexity and severity of current and future challenges in water management. Through collective action with a global partnership network and an agile, interdisciplinary, and systems-oriented approach, IWMI aims to mitigate water risks and manage water sustainably while addressing inequalities. The organization leverages data science and the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance water governance at local, national, and transboundary levels, strengthening the scaling of water security innovations through data-driven investment support tools.