On 6 February, the African Union convened a hybrid meeting on the 2026 AU Theme of the Year, Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.
The meeting brought together representatives from African and international institutions, including AMCOW, UNECA, UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, the European Union, IFRC, GIZ, World Vision International and the United Nations Office to the African Union.
Opening the meeting, the AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Blue Economy, H.E. Moses Vilakati, underscored the central role of water in advancing peace, stability and economic development. He noted that approximately 400 million people across Africa lack access to safe water and highlighted the significant financing gap to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Discussions focused on strengthening integrated water resources management, enhancing climate resilience, supporting environmental sustainability and building momentum towards the 2026 UN Water Conference. The AU also outlined plans to develop a Common African Position on water and to translate political commitments into climate resilient programmes and investment pipelines.
During the meeting, UNOAU underscored the alignment of the theme with United Nations priorities and highlighted opportunities for strengthened UN AU collaboration, particularly at the intersection of water, climate resilience and peace and security. UNOAU will continue consultations with the AU to support implementation and coordination ahead of the UN Water Conference.
