by Xinhua writers Habtamu Worku, Liu Fangqiang
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- African leaders will convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Feb. 11 to 15 for the 39th African Union (AU) Summit, with safeguarding continental water security expected to rank high on the agenda alongside persistent peace and security challenges.
Themed "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063," the annual gathering will begin with a meeting of the AU Executive Council on Feb. 11-12, followed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Feb. 14-15.
Officials and analysts say the summit comes at a pivotal moment, as the continent seeks to translate long-standing priorities into concrete initiatives that can advance Africa's development and security.
SUMMIT AT CRITICAL JUNCTURE
"This year's summit arrives at a critical juncture, particularly as the second 10-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 gains momentum," Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, a former advisor to the AU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, told Xinhua.
He said the meeting's significance lies in its relevance in moving beyond agenda-setting and serving as a platform for advancing a resource-secure, food-sovereign, and peaceful continent.
"By endorsing concrete outcomes of continental significance, African leaders at the summit are expected to bridge the enduring gap between continental aspiration and attainment," he said.
The scholar noted that the summit's importance is further amplified by a complex global landscape, marked by geopolitical rivalries, economic fragmentation, surging protectionism, and dwindling multilateralism.
"The summit must, therefore, serve as a strategic council where African leaders forge a unified front to strengthen Africa's global positioning as a key player in the emerging world order," he said.
In preparation for the summit, African envoys last week concluded a meeting of the AU Committee of Permanent Representatives (PRC), finalizing draft agendas and work programs. In addition to water security, the envoys also highlighted key priorities, including peace and security, inclusive economic growth, good governance, education and healthcare, and Africa's position in global affairs.
Expressing concern over the "increasingly complex global environment," AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for strengthening solidarity, unity, and self-reliance to safeguard the continent's collective interests at the PRC meeting.
Youssouf reaffirmed the 55-member continental bloc's commitment to working closely with members to ensure a successful summit capable of addressing Africa's emerging and perennial challenges, advancing peace and development, and promoting Africa's voice on the global stage.
WATER SECURITY TOPS AGENDA
Announcing this year's focus, the AU said that Africa's aspirations for economic growth, social transformation, regional integration, trade, peace, and security "are all dependent on assuring sustainable water availability for all purposes."
Recent AU data show that more than 300 million Africans lack access to clean drinking water, while over 700 million people across the continent live without adequate sanitation. With Africa's population projected to reach 1.6 billion by 2030, the AU warned that population growth and rapid urbanization will require at least 50 percent more food and a tenfold increase in water demand for energy production.
Emphasizing the critical significance of this year's theme, Youssouf said it underscores water's critical role in Africa's development and its growing importance as a global geopolitical issue.
According to Costantinos, the move elevates water from a developmental challenge to a strategic and cross-cutting imperative, central to Africa's development, climate resilience, and stability. Addressing water security and sanitation challenges, he said, will require effectively harnessing the nexus between water, energy, agriculture, and poverty dynamics.
With climate change further exacerbating the continent's water stress, threatening agricultural livelihoods, energy production, and public health, the AU warned that the inability to address this challenge will lead to more food insecurity, disease burden, human displacement, conflict, and obstruct economic development.
ADDRESS PERENNIAL SECURITY PERILS
Expectations are also high that the summit will address the root causes of insecurity, which are increasingly intertwined with governance deficits and broader vulnerabilities.
Highlighting a challenging security context, the AUC chief acknowledged ongoing peace and security perils across different parts of Africa, notably in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan, Libya, the Sahel region, as well as the rise in unconstitutional changes of government.
Youssouf underscored the need "to act with urgency" to address these crises and advance reforms, particularly within the African peace and security architecture.
Costantinos said the summit is expected to strengthen the AU's role in safeguarding continental stability through "decisive political interventions." This, he noted, could include fully operationalizing the African Standby Force and empowering the AU Peace and Security Council to authorize rapid deployments supported by predictable financing.
"The ongoing crises in Sudan and eastern DRC, along with challenges posed by terrorism and extremism, serve as immediate litmus tests for the AU and its leaders as they convene in Addis Ababa," he said. "The summit is expected to produce concrete outcomes aimed at facilitating timely resolutions to Africa's security crises through African solutions." ■