Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security

This policy brief argues that water and sanitation are strategic assets essential for Africa's peace, energy transition, and food security. It advocates for a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach and Strategic Asset Management (SAM) to address a $1 trillion infrastructure investment gap by 2040 and mitigate the 'threat multiplier' effect of climate change. The brief recommends integrating water governance into the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and strengthening transboundary cooperation across the continent's 63 shared river and lake basins to prevent conflict and promote regional stability.

• Africa faces a significant water infrastructure investment gap, with a requirement of just over $1 trillion by 2040. In sub-Saharan Africa, poor sanitation and insufficient water investment result in an annual economic loss of approximately 5% of GDP, or $170 billion, while current annual investments of $10-$19 billion fall far short of the $64 billion needed to meet the 2025 Africa Water Vision.
• Climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' in Africa, increasing the frequency of flooding (400 to 600 events per year in the last decade) and the severity of droughts, which affected over 25 million people in 2024. These 'dry shocks' reduce GDP by an average of 0.39% for moderate events and 0.85% for extreme droughts.
• Water insecurity is a driver of conflict in Africa, with water-related violence increasing by 154% between 2019 and 2023. Risks are most acute in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and parts of North and Central Africa, where competition for resources is intensified by climate variability and demographic pressure.
• The document proposes a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach to replace sectoral silos, noting that agriculture accounts for roughly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals and food production consumes about 30% of global energy. This approach is presented as more effective for attracting blended finance and private investment by bundling revenue streams.
• Transboundary water management is critical as 90% of Africa's surface water is located in 63 shared river and lake basins. The brief highlights the Lake Chad Basin, where 30 million people depend on shared resources, as an example of a 'conflict-climate risk trap'.
• The brief recommends integrating water governance as a dedicated pillar within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). This would involve incorporating hydrological and climate data into the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) to translate water risks into actionable diplomatic and investment protocols.
• A Strategic Asset Management (SAM) approach is advocated to align the management of physical water assets with long-term economic goals. SAM aims to shift the sector's focus from mere infrastructure expansion to sustained service delivery through lifecycle costing and risk assessment.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2026). Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779794893510-2026-05-26-water-sanitation-ads-pb.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security. 2026. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779794893510-2026-05-26-water-sanitation-ads-pb.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security |date=2026 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779794893510-2026-05-26-water-sanitation-ads-pb.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2026water, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Water and Sanitation for Peace, Energy, and Food Security}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779794893510-2026-05-26-water-sanitation-ads-pb.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }