The African Union will launch its 2026 theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” during its 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, beginning February 14 in Addis Ababa. The focus on water security arrives as the continent faces significant challenges, with over 400 million people lacking adequate water for daily needs and more than 800 million without basic hygiene services.
The theme is directly tied to Agenda 2063, the AU’s 50-year development blueprint targeting transformation, inclusive growth, and climate resilience. AU leadership emphasizes that water security transcends a single sector, framing it as a foundational issue for economic development, peace, and climate adaptation. “Water is more than a sectoral theme—it is a strategic, development, peace, and climate issue,” the AU Commission has stated, noting its centrality to food security, health, and conflict prevention.
In a pre-summit address, AU Commission Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf described water as a “collective good” that must be preserved, urging its sparing use and highlighting its potential to foster regional cooperation and peace. Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, H.E. Moses Vilakati, added that the theme reflects a “collective recognition” of water and sanitation as essential to human security and economic transformation, intended to elevate the continental water agenda.
Supporting this view, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Executive Secretary Claver Gatete characterized water and sanitation as “economic infrastructure,” not merely social services. Citing World Health Organization data, he noted that water-borne diseases cause approximately 115 deaths hourly in Africa, with profound economic consequences that hinder industrial competitiveness and perpetuate reliance on raw material exports. Reliable water access, he argued, is a prerequisite for investment, industrial zones, logistics, and sustainable urban economies.
To drive action, Commissioner Vilakati announced a AU Commission-developed roadmap with key pillars: governance and policy reforms, political commitments, financing and investment, partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building. He called for urgent and significant national budget allocations toward water infrastructure.
The two-day Assembly agenda extends beyond the theme launch. Heads of State will elect the AU Bureau for 2026, review Peace and Security Council reports, and consider a draft memorandum on the African Standby Force. They will also examine the Report on AU Institutional Reforms, receive a briefing from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit, and review the AU’s G20 participation. Annual reports from the Commission, thematic champions—including on Agenda 2063 and the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme—and a report on Palestine are also scheduled.
The summit will conclude with decisions, declarations, and resolutions that provide authoritative direction for AU organs and member states. Historically, such Assembly outcomes have catalyzed major initiatives, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Africa CDC, and Agenda 2063 itself. The 2026 water and sanitation theme aims to generate a similar transformative impact, positioning sustainable water management as essential to achieving the continent’s long-term development aspirations.
