Redefining a new trajectory for accelerating access to drinking water and sanitation services was a common theme in speeches delivered at the opening ceremony of the 23rd ^{International} Congress and Exhibition of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AAEA).

This major gathering of water and sanitation stakeholders is a rejection of any mere rhetoric on this issue. "Beyond the pride of embracing a transformative approach, the duty to act will lead us to formulate and implement sustainable solutions. Action is the raison d'être of this 23rd ^AAEA International Congress and Exhibition, to which you have kindly invited me and AMCOW, and whose theme is: 'Water and Sanitation for All: Strong Actions for Africa,'" noted the Minister of Water and Sanitation of Senegal, Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye. There is still a long way to go for Africa between now and 2030, and if we do not change course, a portion of the population of the cradle of humanity risks paying the price. "On the path to universal access there are multiple obstacles which slow down the pace and compromise the result, to the great dismay of communities eager to breathe the well-being provided by the availability of drinking water and sanitation services," warned the Minister, Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye.

In Africa, more than 400,000 people lack access to safe drinking water, and this proportion is even higher for access to services, with 800,000 people deprived of them. "Access to water has become a health, social, and economic issue. Its availability is essential for the stability of our societies," stated the Cameroonian Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, at this congress, whose theme is: "Water and Sanitation for All: Strong Actions for Africa."

The African Water and Sanitation Association (AWAEA) is at a turning point in its history. Development partners are withdrawing. The institution is reinventing itself to continue its missions. This situation makes strengthening the institutional renewal through the African Union a strategic imperative for the Association. "International partners have withdrawn, but in the meantime, Africa has shown greater resilience. I pray that African leaders will become more involved. We hope that the AWAEA will be the technical arm of the African Union and that it will become an observer organization," stated Blaise Moussa, President of the African Water and Sanitation Association.

Where the resource is poorly managed…

The Executive Secretary of AAEA, Olivier Goussou, sees access to water services as a safety valve to prevent tension and a lever for resilience to the effects of climate change… “Water is a profoundly political and social good. Where it is poorly managed, tensions arise. Access to water is not a luxury but a fundamental right,” declared Olivier Goussou.