Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Editor
AFRICA is intensifying efforts to expand access to clean water and sanitation, as the continent prepares to mark Africa Day 2026 with renewed emphasis on sustainable development and public health.
The push follows resolutions from the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, where leaders rallied behind improving water availability and sanitation systems in line with Agenda 2063.
Water security has been elevated beyond a basic need to a strategic resource central to economic growth, regional cooperation and long-term stability across the continent.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, underscored the urgency of sustained action.
“Water and sanitation are key to our economies. A collective good that should be a source of peace and cooperation among nations… we need to ensure that our action is sustainable,” he said.
Across the continent, countries are translating policy commitments into infrastructure development and reforms aimed at improving access to safe water.
In Zimbabwe, water security remains a central pillar of development, with Government scaling up dam construction, rehabilitating treatment plants and expanding rural borehole programmes.
Major projects such as Kunzvi Dam, Semwa Dam and Gwayi-Shangani Dam are expected to significantly improve water supply for both urban and rural communities, while supporting agriculture and climate resilience.
These efforts are being complemented by the modernisation of urban water systems and improved sanitation services, aligning national priorities with continental development goals.
Africa Day 2026 will therefore serve not only as a celebration of unity, but also as a critical milestone to assess progress, as governments work to turn the promise of universal access to clean water into a reality.
