Continental water security this Africa Month

Continental water security has been declared the 2026 theme by the African Union (AU), making it a timely lens through which to reflect on the issue as Africa Month draws to a close. 

In February 2026, at the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, member states adopted the following theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”. The theme elevates water and sanitation to a continental political priority, recognising them as catalysts for economic transformation, climate resilience, public health, food security, and regional stability. 

The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Dr John Okedi, a senior lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, specialising in water resources and sustainable urban drainage systems, spoke to UCT on this area. He began with a message on Africa Month: “To go forward as a continent, we must leverage technologies that are available, including artificial intelligence (AI), in all sectors because there shouldn’t be one that is left behind.” 

“It begins with us educators, as we prepare the next generation.” 

He continued: “If you look at a country like China, they have used technology to advance themselves in a very short period of time, so we could take lessons from that and put our best foot forward by way of job creation because of our young population on the continent. Technology in any case sits nicely with that demographic. So, this message is largely for young people who are the largest cohort of persons on the continent who will move the continent forward.” 

Commenting on sustainable water management, Dr Okedi said its importance cannot be overstated, particularly in the face of climate change. “Not just climate change, but in the face of population growth and lifestyles – especially in urban areas that require high water use, thus increased demand. There’s clearly a shift from rural to urban environments [for people]. Demand is increasing.” 

His words are echoed in the African Development Bank Group’s 2025 report which states that almost one-third of the total population on the continent lacked basic drinking water services as of 2020. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, about 387 million people struggle daily without access to safe water. 

Nourish, guide, develop 

“Now, we need to be more frugal in how we use our water resources, otherwise there will be a deficit in the near future. In my view, there is a resource that is untapped: stormwater. It’s in our cities as rain falls. We then channel it quickly into the ocean and then travel 100 km away to collect water from dams, and to me, that is not sustainable,” said Okedi. “We must dedicate resource in research to establish how to reuse water resources already abundant in the urban area, such as stormwater and wastewater. 

“To align with what the AU is proposing, education on how to reuse water – and wastewater – safely, for that matter, would go a long way in achieving that ambition.  

“All this then comes down to how prepared we are for the future. And as an educator, we are in the driver’s seat to lead a generation to realising water sustainability, which in turn assists in the task of having safe sanitation systems.” This is part of what the AU categorises as strengthening data systems, knowledge sharing, and the adoption of innovative technologies for water security and sustainable sanitation. 

“It begins with us educators, as we prepare the next generation to firstly appreciate the technology available to them, then use it responsibly. We must nourish, guide and develop the students we are lucky to have here at UCT.”