PRESIDENT MWINYI AND FORMER PRESIDENT KIKWETE RECEIVE GLOBAL CHANGEMAKER AWARDS

Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, and Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, are among six recipients of the Presidential Global Changemakers Award for demonstrating high level political commitment and leadership for climate resilient water security in Africa

H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, received the award for local country leadership following the launch of the Zambia Water Investment Program, as did President Mwinyi for the Zanzibar Water Investment Program, Africa's first.

Dr. Kikwete, one of the four co-chairs of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, accepted the awards in person, while Tanzania's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Dkt. Suleiman H. Suleiman accepted it on President Mwinyi's behalf.

H.E Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chair of the African Union, H.E Hage Geingob, President of Namibia, and H.E Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands also received the Award.

HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana and Chair of the Presidential Global Changemakers Award, presented the awards to the six leaders on March 22, 2023, during the launch of the International High-Level Panel Report on Water Investments in Africa titled Pathways at the ongoing UN Water Conference in New York, the first United Nations conference on water issues since 1977.

The International High-Level Panel on Water Investments in Africa's goal is to develop actionable pathways for mobilising US$30 billion annually by 2030 to implement the Continental Africa Water Investment Program (AIP) and close the continent's existing water investment gap, which is estimated at US$11-19 billion.

Currently, over 300 million Africans lack access to safe drinking water, and over 700 million lack access to adequate sanitation. Water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa will require approximately US$50 billion per year, or US$40 per African per year, by 2030.

Former President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete with (on his left) Tanzania's Minister for Water Hon. Jumaa Awesu during the launch of the International High-Level Panel Report on Water Investments in Africa titled Pathways at the ongoing UN Water Conference in New York on March 22, 2023.

Former President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete attends the launch of the International High-Level Panel Report on Water Investments in Africa titled Pathways at the ongoing UN Water Conference in New York on March 22, 2023.

Dr. Kikwete, one of the four co-chairs of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, received the Award from HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana and Chair of the Presidential Global Changemakers Award at the ongoing UN Water Conference in New York on March 22, 2023.