Africa Water Sustainability Year 2026: The Continental and International Context and Sudan’s Deferred Opportunity (1–2)

Dr Ammar Abakar Abdallah
Water is no longer a purely technical or service-related issue; it has become a matter of sovereignty, diplomacy, and development, touching the very core of state reconstruction, the restoration of trust between citizens and institutions, and intelligent engagement within both African and international systems. In post-conflict countries, water is among the sectors most capable of transforming political rhetoric into tangible developmental impact, linking reconstruction, peacebuilding, and job creation.
The latest international data indicate that more than 2.1 billion people worldwide lack safely managed drinking water, while approximately 3.4 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Nearly 4 billion people experience water scarcity for varying periods each year. In Africa, these challenges are compounded by climate change, rapid population growth, and weak infrastructure, making water a decisive factor in either stability or instability.
Water Returns to the Centre of the Global Agenda
In this context, the World Bank Group has launched the implementation plan for its water strategy under the “Mission Water” initiative, placing water at the heart of economic development, job creation, and resilience-building. The strategy emphasises that water-dependent sectors provide approximately 1.7 billion jobs globally, and that investment in water not only creates direct employment but also protects existing jobs by reducing health and climate risks and enhancing economic productivity.
The African Union’s 2026 Declaration: Elevating Water Politically
In parallel, during its Thirty-Ninth Ordinary Session (February 2026 – Addis Ababa), the African Union declared 2026 as the “Africa Water Sustainability Year” under the theme:
“Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Africa Agenda 2063.”
This declaration reflects the elevation of water and sanitation issues to the highest continental political level, recognising them as gateways to stability, development, and peace.
Sudan: Outside the Hall… But Not Outside the Issue
This continental shift comes at a time when Sudan’s membership in the African Union remains suspended. Nevertheless, the cross-border and cross-institutional nature of the water sector allows for technical and humanitarian engagement pathways, even amid political constraints, and opens a window for early preparation for the post-suspension phase.
The African Union, through the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), has also advanced the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063, anchored in integrated water resources management, expanded WASH services, and strengthened cooperation in shared river basins, alongside institutional readiness to support member states in translating political commitments into implementable programmes.
However, declarations and initiatives do not automatically produce impact. The real challenge lies not in the absence of opportunities, but in how post-conflict states diplomatically and institutionally mobilise them.
In Part Two, we move from analysing the continental and international context to examining how Sudan, through its official diplomacy and institutional arrangements, can turn the 2026 Water Sustainability Year into a practical pathway for reconstruction and peacebuilding.
Specialist and researcher in Integrated Water Resources Management

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=11369