GWPO Welcomes Namibia’s UN General Assembly Announcement of First Global Water Partnership Headquarters in Windhoek
H.E. President Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted water investment and international cooperation in Namibia’s address, while global leaders welcomed plans to launch Global Blended De-Risking Facility at 2026 UN Water Conference at a high-level event on the margins of UNGA.
The Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) welcomes the statement by H.E. Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September, in which she highlighted the organisation’s headquarters in Namibia.
“We are pleased to inform that Namibia will host the Global Water Partnership Headquarters, [the] first time to be located in the Global South,” the President told the General Assembly.
“President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s announcement is a powerful expression of Namibia’s global leadership on water,” said Alex Simalabwi, CEO of GWPO. “Establishing our primary headquarters in Windhoek brings GWPO closer to the countries and communities confronting urgent water and climate challenges. We look forward to working with Namibia and partners across all regions to turn that leadership into stronger cooperation and investment.”
Speaking to world leaders, in the video linked below, H.E. President Nandi-Ndaitwah called for a focus on water in 2026, as climate change intensifies droughts, floods, desertification and land degradation across Africa. The President set out how Namibia, as an arid country, is promoting the prudent use and conservation of water, integrated water resources management, groundwater recharge and greater investment in sustainable water infrastructure.
“In our capacity as co-chair with Senegal of the AU International High-Level Panel on the African Water Investment Program, Monday we convened a High-Level Side Event on water investment for Africa and global cooperation,” added H.E. President Nandi-Ndaitwah in her statement.
“We believe its outcome is a meaningful contribution to the 2026 UN Water Conference later in the year, and advances stronger global partnerships, investment and action for sustainable water security,” she said.
Global Leaders Welcome Plans to Launch Global Blended De-Risking Facility at 2026 UN Water Conference
Global leaders at the high-level side event, hosted by the African Union on 21 September, welcomed plans to launch the Global Blended De-Risking Facility, which will help turn national priorities into bankable projects, and ensure that public and private finance is lined up behind them.
“We must translate political commitments into bankable projects and tangible results,” said H.E. President Nandi-Ndaitwah at the event.
The Facility forms part of the G20 Presidential Legacy Initiative – the Global Water Investment Platform (GIP) – established under South Africa’s G20 Presidency. It is the world’s first dedicated global mechanism designed to mobilise, de-risk, and accelerate large-scale public and private investment in water security.
H.E. President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the GIP Global Blended De-Risking Facility would be hosted in Windhoek by GWPO and encouraged partners to support the initiative ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference.
H.E. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said “As co-host of the 2026 UN Water Conference, Senegal commits to advancing the concrete commitments made at this event in relation to the Global Water Investment Platform, the operationalisation of the Global Blended De-Risking Facility and its high-level launch in Abu Dhabi,” in a statement delivered by H.E. Dr Cheikh Tidiane Diéye, Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation for the Republic of Senegal and President of the African Ministers’ Council on Water.
South Africa and France, co-chairs of the interactive dialogue on water investment at the 2026 UN Water Conference, commended the leadership of Namibia and the High-Level Panel and their commitment to mobilising concrete water investments at the Conference.
Global Water Investment Platform to unlock large-scale investment in water security
From left: H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf Chairperson, African Union Commission | H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, Panel Alternate Co-Chair and Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania | H.E. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the Republic of Namibia|Sam Matekane, Prime Minister of Lesotho | H.E. Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Diéye, Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Republic of Senegal and AMCOW President
The GIP will also facilitate the scale-out of the African Union’s Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) model across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia Pacific and Europe.
At the High-Level Event on 21 September, H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and alternate co-chair of the Panel, presented the progress made and the work still required to close Africa’s US$30 billion annual water investment gap through the AIP. Progress includes an estimated US$10–12 billion annual water investment pipeline towards the US$30 billion annual target; a Water Investment Scorecard measuring investment readiness across 30 countries; and the advancement of 20 climate-resilient national water investment programmes.
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, High-Level Panel Co-Chair and Former President of Tanzania, and South African Minister of Water and Sanitation, Hon. Pemmy Majodina
The International High-Level Panel progress report may be accessed via this link.
The leaders’ event at UNGA included high-level representatives from Tajikistan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, Finland, France, South Africa, the United Nations Capital Development Fund, UNICEF, and the Green Climate Fund.
Any media queries regarding this statement may be directed to GWPO Head of Communications svetlana.doneva@jameswachira
Credits:
Top photo courtesy of the Namibian Presidency.
Video courtesy of Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. A video of the full address is available here.
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