Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Across Africa, millions continue to face daily struggles with water scarcity, unsafe drinking water, and inadequate sanitation facilities. These challenges strike at the heart of human dignity, undermine the collective pursuit of prosperous, healthy communities, and threaten progress toward Aspiration 1 of Agenda 2063: “A Prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.”
The Water Paradox
Despite Africa’s abundant water resources, the continent faces a profound paradox. According to the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC):
- Over 400 million Africans lack access to basic drinking water services.
- More than 700 million lack access to safely managed sanitation.
ECOSOCC emphasizes that this contradiction reflects deep-seated structural challenges: colonial-era infrastructure deficits, weak institutional frameworks, underinvestment in water systems, rapid urbanization, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.
Spotlight at the Pre-Summit
The water and sanitation crisis was highlighted on Monday during the ECOSOCC Civil Society Pre-Summit in Addis Ababa, convened ahead of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly (14–15 February 2026). The AU’s theme of the year is: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
Speakers stressed the need for integrated approaches that include gender equality, youth inclusion, disability rights, and broader social equity.
“The water and sanitation crisis reverberates across every dimension of Agenda 2063’s vision for Africa’s transformation. It directly impedes progress towards eradicating poverty, achieving food security, and building modern infrastructure. The burden falls most heavily on African women and girls, who collectively spend an estimated 40 billion hours annually fetching water,” said Ms. Caroline Kwamboka, Executive Director of African Renaissance.
Civil Society and Private Sector Engagement
Ambassador William Carew, Head of the ECOSOCC Secretariat, emphasized the importance of civil society involvement in AU agendas, noting that grassroots perspectives are essential for humanitarian-oriented goals.
Dr. Amany Asfour, President of the Africa Business Council (AfBC), urged financial institutions and the private sector to develop innovative financing solutions to support sustainable water and sanitation technologies.
AU Commission representative Moses Vilakati highlighted the competing demands that often lead to water source degradation, stressing the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in urgent advocacy and action.
Ethiopia’s Minister for Water and Energy, Dr. Habtamu Itefe, reinforced the collective responsibility:
“Our water resources sustain life and economies. Everyone must take care of water from our households to the water sources. If we join hands as a family, we can ensure consistent access to clean water and sanitation.”
Looking Ahead
The Pre-Summit Symposium provided a platform to unpack the AU theme’s action framework and foster dialogue for co-developing strategies at community, national, and regional levels. With the AU Assembly set to convene in Addis Ababa, stakeholders hope civil society engagement will translate high-level agendas into tangible progress.
Conclusion
Africa’s water paradox underscores the urgency of coordinated action. As leaders, civil society, and the private sector converge in Addis Ababa, the challenge is clear: transform abundant resources into universal access, ensuring that water and sanitation become pillars of Africa’s sustainable development journey.
