Ramaphosa in Ethiopia for AU summit on sustainable water availability as SA grapples with crisis

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Ethiopia ahead of the African Union (AU) Summit.

The President is leading a high-level South African delegation at the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government Session.

A number of African heads of state are expected to meet in Addis Ababa this weekend.

Water and sanitation

The two-day session is scheduled to take place from 14 to 15 February 2026 under the theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

The AU has designated 2026 as the year of water and sanitation.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said this is in line with pursuing continental access to sustainable water and reliable sanitation services geared to achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.

“The theme aligns with addressing critical and interconnected continental crises as well as harnessing key drivers in tackling water insecurity, poor sanitation, and climate change impact.

“South Africa will participate in the AU AIP Water Investment Summit, which takes place as a side event on the margin of the 39th African Union Summit,” Magwenya said.  

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SA water crisis

The summit is something South Africans might have to pay close attention to following the water crisis in the country.

South Africa is currently facing a deepening water crisis, which could result in economic collapse and social instability.

Communities across the country face water shortages and outages lasting nearly 30 days, with infrastructure deterioration reaching critical levels and sewage contaminating water sources.

People without water

Speaking at the annual Presidential Golf Challenge (PGC) at the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate in Melkbosstrand on Friday, a day after his State of the Nation Address (Sona), Ramaphosa said he understands the current water crisis.

“What I said is that we have now realised that, rather than have our people without water and be punished, by the lack of activity or delivery by municipalities, we are now going to intervene, and we will use a section in the Water Act, to intervene, and also, during the process of looking at the white paper, local government.”

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Objective of summit

Magwenya said the objective of the summit is to bring together member states, investors and development financers to share the investment project pipelines that were showcased at the Africa water summit in Cape Town last year which attracted interests from investors and financiers.

“President Ramaphosa will address the African Union Ad-Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan, the C5 as chaired by South Africa.

“The C5 plays an active role as an overseer on the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” Magwenya said.

Ramaphosa is also expected to hold several bilateral meetings with other African Heads of State on matters of bilateral mutual interest and continental issues.

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