Partners Welcome Global Blended Finance Upstream De-Risking Facility to advance G20 Presidential Legacy Initiative on Water

The GIP Blended Finance Upstream De-Risking Facility (GIP Facility) was presented at World Water Week on 26 August by GWPO. The Facility will support country-led investment readiness and mobilisation of financing for priority water investments.

The GIP Facility supports the Global Water Investment Platform, a G20 Presidential Legacy Initiative, launched under the South African G20 Presidency.

The event was convened by GWPO in collaboration with the Republic of Namibia, Republic of South Africa, the AU High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Water, and the World Meteorological Organisation.

The Republic of Senegal and the Republic of Namibia, Co-Chairs of the AU-AIP High-Level Panel, welcomed the facility to accelerate implementation of USD 10 – 12 billion water investment pipelines, identified at the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit, that was convened in August 2025, under the G20 Presidency of South Africa.

“The success of the GIP Facility will depend on the rate of mobilisation and implementation of projects on the ground, to improve the livelihoods of communities. Namibia, as one of the driest countries in Africa and globally, welcomes the GIP Facility to explore innovative options for enhancing water security, including waste-water re-use, desalination, solar-powered irrigation, and others. As the host country of the GWPO Headquarters, we look forward to working closely with GWPO, South Africa, G20 Members, and others in advancing the GIP Facility,” Dr. Maria Amakali, Director: Directorate of Water Resource Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Namibia.

“We need to build a bridge between political ambitions, national priorities, and global capital. The financing gap is not just about resources, its also about priorities and the ability to turn ambition into bankable projects,” said Dr. Mohamed Diatta, Sherpa to the UN 2026 Water Conference and the AU-AIP High-Level Panel.

Mr. Zoran Dabetić, State Secretary, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, Montenegro, welcomed the GIP Facility as an opportunity to advance implementation of projects under the country’s water investment plan, recently developed in partnership with the Green Climate Fund and GWP Mediterranean.

Dr. Risimati Mathye, Deputy Director-General for Water Services Management, Department of Water and Sanitation, South Africa, commended GWPO for the operationalisation of the GIP Facility, as a vehicle for advancing the Global Water Investment Platform, in support of the outcomes of the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Declaration on Water, ahead of the UN 2026 Water Conference.

“Fully aware of the importance of protecting, conserving, and restoring water-related ecosystems, we commit to work towards constructive outcomes of the 2026 UN Water Conference”

– G20 Leaders’ Declaration

Participants noted that there is no shortage of capital for water, but rather a shortage of bankable projects that are attractive to investors, including the private sector. There is a need for de-risking water investment pipelines and blend multiple sources of finance to address upstream risks and project preparation bottlenecks. The GIP Facility will respond to this need.