Johannesburg, South Africa — 2026-02-13 African Union Summit Focuses on Water Security Amid Growing Concerns.
The African Union (AU) has placed water security at the forefront of its 2026 summit agenda, highlighting the continent’s increasing vulnerability to water-related conflicts and climate shocks.
The decision to focus on water as a vital resource for life, development, and sustainability comes as Africa grapples with a multitude of challenges, including severe droughts, deadly floods, and the rising threat of waterborne diseases.
Sanusha Naidu, a foreign policy analyst at the Institute for Global Dialogue, emphasizes that water is becoming a commodity of corporatization and access, leading to humanitarian and climate change conflicts.
The continent’s exposure to water-related conflicts is evident in various disputes, including Egypt and Ethiopia’s ongoing conflict over the Nile River, tensions between farmers and herders in Nigeria, and antigovernment protests in Madagascar. Dhesigen Naidoo, a senior water and climate researcher with the Institute for Security Studies, notes that the Sahel region’s correlation between desertification and conflict is almost direct.
Water scarcity also exacerbates security concerns, as seen in northern Nigeria, where armed groups are recruiting among vulnerable populations.
In South Africa, the country’s Human Rights Commission has declared the water crisis a national disaster, with many Johannesburg residents experiencing prolonged water shortages.
The potential for water conflicts is further compounded by the legacy of colonial — era boundaries that divided Africa’s water resources.
The World Bank reports that 90 percent of Africa’s surface water is in transboundary basins, requiring cooperation or treaties to manage. Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has also raised tensions, particularly with downstream neighbors Egypt and Sudan, who fear the dam will threaten their water security. Magnus Taylor, the deputy director of the Horn of Africa project at the International Crisis Group, notes that while “water wars “have not yet erupted, water disputes are shaping and intensifying other conflicts in the region.
Despite the urgent need for action, the AU’s decision to focus on water at the summit is seen by some as overdue. Sanusha Naidu argues that the continental bloc and national governments have known about the water crisis for years but have failed to act at the necessary scale.
The summit is expected to address these challenges, but experts caution that progress will require more than just treaties and agreements.
Dhesigen Naidoo highlights the importance of local innovation projects, such as non — sewered sanitation systems and the “overhead aqueduct “system in Kenya’s Kibera, as potential solutions.
The African Union’s focus on water security is a critical step in addressing the continent’s growing water crisis.
However, the challenge of ensuring sustainable access to this vital resource remains immense and urgent.
