11/2/2026
To the Esteemed African Heads of States at the African Union,
As you convene in Addis Ababa from February 11th to 15th 2026, the Youth Climate Collective addresses you at a moment of profound consequence. Our continent is in crisis. We are struggling with conflicts, massive debt, and endless climate disasters, all while global support is falling apart. We commend the Summit's focus on "Water as a Vital Resource for Life, Development, and Sustainability." This theme is the foundational issue that underpins our collective survival, prosperity, and peace. We urge you to turn your words into action and place water security at the very center of the AU’s agenda.
While we acknowledge the critical urgency of addressing active conflicts and the vital campaign for reparative justice, we assert that water insecurity is crucially linked to both. Water scarcity fuels displacement and tension, while climate justice must include the right to water. Therefore, we present our youth-led advocacy for your decisive action:
1. Declare a Continental Water and Climate Emergency.
Africa is burning and drying in tandem. We demand that the African Union (AU) officially declare a Continental Water and Climate Emergency. This declaration is not symbolic; it must trigger extraordinary measures, mandate fast-tracked continental cooperation, and serve as a clear message to the global community that Africa recognizes this as the defining crisis of our generation. The devastating 2025-2026 floods in Southern Africa and the persistent, catastrophic drought in the Horn of Africa prove that our continent is burning and drying in tandem. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has established a viable regional framework for drought management. With decisive AU support and dedicated refinement, this system can and must be scaled into a continent-wide model for building drought resilience, transforming a regional response into a continental imperative.
2. Mainstream Water in All National Climate Plans (NDCs).
Climate action is water action. We demand that all member states, supported by the AU, update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to include specific, funded, and measurable targets for water security. This means plans for water conservation, watershed protection, and climate-resilient sanitation. Kenya's commitment to achieve 100% access to safe water and sanitation under its Climate Change Act, and Rwanda’s integrated water resource management in its Green Growth Strategy are national blueprints the AU can help scale continent-wide.
3. Champion Water as a Tool for Peace and a Core Security Priority.
Water scarcity is a driving cause of conflict, driving violent clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria and deepening instability around a rapidly shrinking Lake Chad. However, proven models like the Senegal River Basin Organization and the Nile Basin Initiative demonstrate that shared water management can transform a potential source of tension into a foundation for regional peace and cooperation. We call on the AU Peace and Security Council to formally recognize water scarcity and the protection of critical water towers most urgently the Congo Basin rainforest as a continental security imperative. The Congo Basin, the world's second-largest rainforest, is a vital continental water pump and carbon sink, regulating rainfall across Africa. Its accelerating deforestation threatens water security for millions and regional climate stability.
4. Center Youth as Water-Climate Innovators and Decision-Makers.
African youth are innovators, implementers, and guardians of our future. We demand formal, meaningful youth representation in all AU and national water-climate dialogues and decision-making bodies. Across Africa, youth-led solutions are already proving effective from smart water meters and air-to-water technology in Kenya, to Nigeria's AYuTe challenge winners optimizing irrigation for farmers. These innovators, backed by programs like the YouthADAPT Challenge, demonstrate that when youth are funded, they deliver scalable climate resilience. We therefore demand formal youth representation in all AU and national water-climate dialogues and the establishment of a dedicated continental fund to finance and scale our water-tech solutions across Africa.
Your Excellencies,
This Summit’s legacy will be defined by the courage you show in prioritizing what is fundamental. Water is life, health, agriculture, industry, and stability. By declaring an emergency, embedding water in climate plans, using water for peace, and empowering youth, you will secure not just water, but Africa’s future.
Signed,
The Youth Climate Collective (YCC) and Coalition Partners.