By: Mandy Park
As the 2024 Africa Week of Action Against water Privatisation kicks- off today, Monday, 20, October, civil society organisations, labour activists from across Africa continent, and beyond united under the banner of the Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), warn African government’s to stop the privatisation of water.
They vowed to resist the commodification of water, while urging African government’s to rather invest adequately in the provision of accessible, and quality water for her citizens.
Specifically, the groups demanded among others:”Total halt to all water privatisation or PPP arrangements across the continent.
“Increase government funding/investments in the water sector. Participatory approach to water governance and governments’ commitment to public solutions to the continent’s water challenges.
” Expanded outlook on water justice beyond access to include affordability and quality.
” Promote good governance and eliminate corruption, improve labour relations”.
This year’s event is the fourth edition of the Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatization.
The campaign week, coincides with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings held in Washington, DC, with the theme: Water Justice Over Profit.
The event is emphasising the rising demand across Africa—manifested through increasing protests, online campaigns, and public debates – for democratic control of public utilities, particularly water, and an end to the privatisation that prioritises corporate profits over the basic needs of communities.
Speakers at the hybrid press conference today in Lagos, with some joining on zoom included: Geoffrey Kabutey Ocansey of Revenue Mobilisation Africa (Ghana), Akinbode Oluwafemi of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (Nigeria), Pascal Bekono of African Centre for Advocacy (Cameroon), Anne Maine of Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya, and Oumar Ba of Confédération de Syndicats Autonomes du Sénégal, fatou Diouf, Zikorah Ibeh (CAPPA), Sefa Ikpa (CAPPA), Neil Gupta and Dr Ron Daniels, President, Institute of Black World, based in the United States, among others.
OWORAC in a statement at the briefing noted that “Today marks the commencement of the fourth annual Africa Week of Action Against Water
Privatisation, an initiative of the Our Water, Our Right African Coalition (OWORAC), aimed at
uplifting the urgent need to address the continent’s water crises and exposing the dangers that
privatisation and corporate control schemes pose to realising the human right to water.
“Organisers are urging Water Justice Over Profit, recognising the unique moment that the
continent finds itself in this year, as popular mobilisations have surged in response to
widespread frustration with the rising cost of living and governments prioritising corporate
interests over the needs of their citizens.
“The privatisation and corporate control of water service is an affront to
the human right to water and an inexcusable abdication of duty by our governments.”
“The neocolonial forces of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have been bearing
down on the African continent for decades, entrapping states in debt and using this leverage to
push anti-people policies which have undermined public welfare and environmental stewardship.
Bilateral development agencies, such as the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID), have also begun to exert pressure on states to adopt similar policies, to the detriment.
Earlier in his welcome address, Comrade, Oluwafemi Akinbode, Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, said there would be no retreat, no surrender until Africa is free from any idea of water privatisation against the interest of the people.
Noted Akinbode “You are welcome to this event to mark the commencement of the Fourth Annual Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatisation which is an initiative of the Our Water, Our Rights Africa Coalition (OWORAC)..
‘OWORAC currently exist in about 10 African countries that includes Nigeria, Ghana, Gabon, Senegal, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, Mozambique among others, and we are still growing.
” The coalition is championing resistance to corporate take-over of water utilities across Africa.
‘The Week of resistance is marked to coincide with the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to draw attention and needed action to those institutions’ roles in pushing water privatisation agenda on our continent.
“For us, our campaign on water is Rights Based. Water is life and it must be protected from corporate greed. This is further reinforced by the many cases of failed water privatisation across the globe.
” In November 2002, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted this on the issue of water: “The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses”.
“Against water privatisation, there are over 180 cities and communities in 35 countries, including Buenos Aires, Johannesburg, Paris, Accra, Berlin, La Paz, Maputo and Kuala Lumpur, that have “re-municipalised” their water utilities after failed privatization or PPP misadventure.
“Among them, more than 100 are in the United States and France, 14 in Africa and 12 in Latin America.So this week activist in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Cameroun among others will be organising community events , water parliaments , protests and walks again to resist water privatisation agenda.
‘In Nigeria for instance activities will be holding in Enugu, Abuja, Oyo, Adamawa, Lagos States.Our demands remain, among others:Total halt to all water privatisation or PPP arrangements across the continent.
“Increase government funding/investments in the water sector.Participatory approach to water governance and governments’ commitment to public solutions to the continent’s water challenges.
” Expanded outlook on water justice beyond access to include affordability and quality. Pursue Public-Public Partnerships (PUPs), Promote good governance and eliminate corruption, improve labour relations.
“Our sincere thanks to all our coalition members across the continent some of whom will be speaking today and to Boston-based Corporate Accountability for the technical support always.”