African Union Summit to Address Water Security Crisis
The 39th African Union (AU) summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” underscores the role of water and sanitation in driving climate resilience, economic growth, and long-term stability.
Africa’s population, now exceeding 1.5 billion, is expanding faster than the capacity of both urban and rural infrastructure. Concurrently, worsening droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall—linked to global warming—are disrupting agriculture, hydropower production, and city water supplies.
Experts warn that these pressures are transforming water management into a critical adaptation challenge with direct consequences for food security, energy reliability, and livelihoods.
Ahead of the main summit, high-level meetings organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and AU bodies began earlier this week. Discussions have centered on climate-resilient investments and sustainable groundwater management, particularly in the Horn of Africa.
Sanitation shortfalls remain severe, fueling preventable disease and child mortality while weakening productivity and human capital.
Officials familiar with the agenda said summit talks are expected to strengthen the connection between water systems, public health, and disease prevention, reflecting a push to integrate climate, infrastructure, and social policy responses.
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