A high-level African water delegation of 50 welcomed in Budapest
At the invitation of the Hungarian Water Partnership (HWP), 50 senior water sector leaders, technical directors, and policy decision-makers from over 15 African countries visited Budapest between February 24–28, 2026, to learn about Hungary’s internationally recognized water technologies and cooperation models.
From left to right: Moussa Seck, Director of Membership Services, AfWASA; Dr. Károly Kovács, President of HWP and member of the AfWASA Strategic Steering Committee; Olivier Gosso, Managing Director of AfWASA.
Organized in cooperation with the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA), the exclusive visit focused on knowledge sharing, technological collaboration, and strategic networking. The professional programs, including factory and site visits as well as bilateral meetings, also aimed to further strengthen cooperation between Africa and Europe in the water sector.
Francis Alpha Kallon, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources of Sierra Leone
The event marks a milestone in the history of the Hungarian water industry. Never before has such a large-scale, high-level, and diverse African water delegation arrived in Hungary at the invitation of the Hungarian water industry. The presence of leaders from over 15 countries clearly demonstrates the outstanding trust in and interest toward Hungarian water expertise, innovation, and international reputation — representing both a major recognition and a significant opportunity for Hungarian water industry stakeholders.
One of the key features and aims of the Global Water and Sanitation Connect 2026 was to establish strong, long-term cooperation. Successful collaboration is never one-sided. We, the Hungarian Water Partnership Member and Partner companies. were not only there to present solutions, but to listen, learn, and explore together where genuine synergies may lie. Our network brings together a wide range of companies, technologies, and expertise, however in order to develop appropriate solutions in response to these challenges understanding is key — understanding their priorities, ambitions, and the challenges our delegates are navigating within their water sector ecosystems. We invited each delegation (1 delegate per organisation) to deliver a brief 3-minute introduction covering:
- Who they are and the institution they represent
- Their current strategic priorities or flagship initiatives
- Key challenges, needs, or areas where they are seeking knowledge exchange, expertise, or partnership
This rather informal and interactive session was then followed by an intense session, where our members partners offered solutions, knowledge and expertise in response to the challenges and key focus areas introduced by our delegates. The following companies and their representatives participated in this workshop:
Pureco Ltd and Puraset Ltd presentation - Balázs Varga, Head of Water Technologies Business Unit
UTB presentation - Bence Varró, Sales Manager
ZLS Impact presentation - Taikiba Palouma, Managing Director
Geogold presentation - Orsolya Katona PhD., Geophysicist
OVF - Kovács Péter Water Director of Hungary
Toray Membrane Europe AG - Kenichi Uchihori President
H2O Consortium presentation - Révay Róbert, Project Manager
Tradeland presentation - Timea Kricskovics, Project Coordinator – Asian Relations
Kristály presentation - Reicher Gábor, Business Development Manager
Békés Drén - Barkász Sándor (2 videos)
Budapest Water Works - Rita Studniczki, Senior International Relations Advisor at Budapest Waterworks
One of the highlights of the delegation’s program was participation in the international conference “Future of Water – Innovative Responses to Global Water Challenges”, organized by the Hungarian Water Partnership on February 27, 2026, within the framework of Planet Budapest 2026. During this intensive professional conference, participants had the opportunity to expand their global strategic networks, exchange knowledge, and establish new partnerships with European and Asian sector partners.
François Olivier Gosso, CEO of AfWASA, emphasized at the press conference presenting the event:
“We expect this visit to provide African water leaders with practical insights, opportunities to build partnerships, and deeper knowledge of water treatment technologies adaptable to African conditions. We trust that the professional exchanges in Hungary will support our members in advancing and improving the water and wastewater treatment sector across Africa, and that new joint development projects may be launched in the near future.”
Dr. Károly Kovács, President of HWP — and the only non-African member of AfWASA’s Strategic and Technical Council — highlighted:
“By hosting African water leaders in Hungary, our goal is to showcase Hungarian solutions recognized by the United Nations (drinking water and wastewater treatment) that have already been successfully implemented and operated domestically or internationally in Africa, Europe, or Asia. We expect that this visit will lay the foundation for long-term regional cooperation, joint projects, and partnerships delivering tangible results for local service providers and communities.”
This visit forms part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening international water-related cooperation and accelerating the dissemination of sustainable, efficient, and resilient water infrastructure solutions across Africa.
We would like to thank our supporters and technology partners — the Hungarian Export Promotion Agency (HEPA), Pureco Ltd., the H2O Consortium, Tradeland Ltd., Budapest Waterworks Plc., Grundfos, and Toray Membrane Europe AG — for contributing to the success of the event.
To read more about the day by day agenda of this visit click here.
