Ensuring sustainable water availability is one of the key challenges for many countries in Southern Africa. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) initiative “Water Security in Africa” (WASA) fosters close cooperation between science, policy, and industry to develop needs-based, application-oriented solutions for the water sector – from research to market implementation.

This panel discussion presents achievements and insights from ongoing WASA projects and explores three central thematic areas:

• Sustainable Water Resources Management: Managing scarce water resources under changing climatic conditions
• Water Infrastructure and Technology: Developing and implementing innovative, scalable technologies in various user contexts
• Hydrological Forecasts and Management of Extremes: Utilizing forecasts to better manage droughts and extreme rainfall events

The session also examines the challenges and opportunities for research and industry in implementing such transdisciplinary projects. What framework conditions are needed to bring innovations to market? How can science-policy dialogue be structured effectively?

In addition, the discussion will address cross-cutting issues such as capacity building, knowledge transfer, and sustainability. Special attention is given to supporting early-career researchers and to the active involvement of local operators, decision-makers, and financial institutions to ensure the scalability, financing, and long-term integration of the developed solutions.

The session invites participants to discuss how international cooperation can make tangible contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and strengthen resilience in the water sector.