In Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mireille Bondo walks over a kilometre daily to fetch water because the tap on her street has been dry for two years. In Nairobi, 17-year-old Duncan Ochieng queues for a shared latrine vulnerable to flooding and disease.
Their stories reflect a broader crisis across Africa’s cities, highlighted in the 2025 UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS) report compiled by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
The report, covering 105 countries, reveals a major gap between national water and sanitation plans and actual implementation. Fewer than 13% of countries have sufficient financial and human resources to carry out their WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) strategies, while 64% face overlapping government responsibilities that hinder coordination.
Globally, 2.1 billion people lack safe drinking water and 3.4 billion lack safe sanitation. Urban Africa bears a disproportionate burden. Additionally, an average 39% of treated water is lost through leaks, theft, or unmetered connections — revenue that could expand services to underserved communities.
Climate change is worsening the crisis. Although 80% of countries reference climate risks in their WASH policies, only 20% have funding measures targeting vulnerable populations. Flooding in informal settlements frequently contaminates water sources, contributing to outbreaks such as cholera.
With the 2030 global targets approaching, UN-Water chair Dr Alvaro Lario warned the world is at a critical moment. The report calls for stronger governance, financing, and institutional reform ahead of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
For families like Mireille’s and Duncan’s, systemic reform would mean something simple: clean water from a working tap and safe sanitation facilities that protect public health.
SOURCE : TRT AFRICA
