By: Peneyambeko Jonas
Namibia will host the 2028 International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) World Basin Summit after delegates at the 2026 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, selected Windhoek as the next host city.
The choice places the country at the centre of international discussions on water governance and climate adaptation.
The summit, held every two years, brings together government leaders, scientists, river basin authorities, financial institutions and civil society organisations to discuss integrated water resources management, climate resilience, transboundary water cooperation and water security. INBO has 192 member organisations from 88 countries.
In a media statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform said hosting the summit provides an opportunity for Namibia to share its experience in managing water scarcity and potable water reclamation while encouraging scientific cooperation and investment.
The ministry also said the event will strengthen collaboration between government institutions, development partners and regional river basin organisations in preparation for the 2028 gathering.
INBO Secretary General Éric Tardieu said the discussions held in Brazil highlighted the need for countries to continue exchanging practical solutions to growing water challenges.
“Strategic, technical and operational solutions must be discussed and shared at all levels to ensure water security and strengthen the resilience of regions,” Tardieu said following the Rio summit.
Namibia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Selma Nghinamundova, announced Windhoek as the next host city during the closing session of the summit.
According to INBO, selecting Namibia reflects the importance of countries that have developed practical responses to limited water resources.
The organisation noted that Windhoek has operated direct potable wastewater reuse since 1968, making it one of the earliest cities globally to implement the technology on a large scale.
Barbara Pompili, France’s Ambassador for the Environment, also stressed that international cooperation remains essential as countries face increasing droughts and floods linked to climate change.
“Solidarity between river basins, knowledge-sharing and international and cross-border cooperation remain the cornerstones of a more resilient future for water and territories,” she said at the closing ceremony.
Water experts say Namibia’s experience is increasingly relevant as climate pressures intensify across the world.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said during Namibia’s 2026 World Wetlands and Water Day commemorations that protecting water resources requires cooperation between governments, communities and scientific institutions.
“Collective action is essential to strengthen water security and resilience,” UNESCO said during the national observance in Windhoek.
The 2026 summit in Brazil attracted nearly 400 participants from 48 countries who discussed flood management, drought preparedness, hydrological monitoring, ecosystem restoration and water governance under changing climate conditions.
Delegates agreed that river basin management remains central to reducing water-related risks and improving long-term planning.
For Namibia, the 2028 summit is expected to draw policymakers, researchers, development agencies and water professionals from around the world, creating opportunities for technical exchanges and regional cooperation on water management.
The country already hosts the Global Water Partnership Organisation Secretariat, and the government says aligning that role with the INBO summit will help strengthen collaboration on sustainable water governance across Africa.
As preparations begin over the next two years, attention will focus on how Namibia uses the summit to encourage dialogue on water scarcity, climate adaptation and shared management of river basins, issues that continue to affect many countries across the continent and beyond.
