Regional Strategic Roadmap: East Africa 2024–2030

The IWMI East Africa Strategic Roadmap (2024–2030) positions water (security) as central to addressing the region’s toughest challenges: climate change, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and social fragility. Recognizing water as a systemic risk, the roadmap calls for integrated, climate-resilient, and inclusive solutions that cross sectors and borders.

Moving beyond fragmented projects, IWMI embraces a bold, partnership-driven approach—connecting research, policy, and action. The roadmap draws on past successes in building robust data systems, managing droughts and floods, restoring ecosystems, and fostering shared waters dialogues.

Five strategic priorities shape the agenda: sustaining ecosystems; advancing water security for livelihoods and economies; managing drought risks; mitigating flood risks; and deepening cooperation over shared waters. These priorities rest on a research-for-development model focused on co-design, national ownership, and scaling impact through strong partnerships.

With phased implementation—from evidence-building to piloting, capacity development, and scaling—the roadmap champions gender equality, social inclusion, youth engagement, and digital innovation. Overall, it aims to turn science into action, empower decision-makers, and guide East Africa toward a water-secure, resilient, and equitable future.