Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein has called on African governments to resolve the freshwater crisis.

Schlettwein spoke at the opening session of the 24th African Water Facility (AWF) governing council meeting in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on Wednesday.

"Our role is to ensure that the scarce funding for the most valuable basic resource for living and development, water, is prioritised and put to optimal use to benefit those in need," he said.

"Let me stress that I see our deliberations of utmost importance for the future of increased access to water and sanitation in Africa."

"[Our people] need peace, not war. They need sustainability and security, not greed and inequality. They need affordable water and a healthy environment, not desertification and deforestation, nor depletion and destruction of natural ecosystems," the minister said.

Schlettwein is the current chairperson of the AWF, which was established in 2006 by the African Ministers Council on Water and the African Development Bank.

"Our meeting today reflects the culmination of dedicated efforts and strategic actions guided by the revised strategy of 2017-2025, a roadmap that has guided the AWF in realising its core mandates and impact," Schlettwein said.

He also welcomed the United States Agency for International Development, a government agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance, as the newest member of the AWF.