Rwandan Foreign Minister Urges Youth Inclusion in African Water Governance Decisions
Rwanda will continue to rely on water in Agricultural activities
Luanda, Angola — Foreign ministers from Rwanda, Angola, Namibia, and Tanzania joined young African leaders on Friday for a high-level intergenerational dialogue focused on inclusive governance of water and sanitation systems across the continent.
The session took place as part of the 4th Biennale of Luanda, the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, held on 22–23 October 2026. This year’s edition centers on strengthening water governance in Africa as a means of preventing, mediating, and resolving conflicts. The gathering aligns with the African Union’s 2026 theme on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems and with the broader goals of Agenda 2063.
During the dialogue, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, stressed that continental and regional institutions must actively involve young people in decisions affecting water resources. He called for the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, basin organizations, and other regional mechanisms to incorporate youth voices into water governance processes.
The exchange brought together the foreign ministers with young leaders from Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, The Gambia, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal, South Sudan, and Tanzania. Participants discussed practical ways to unite generations in securing reliable water supplies and sanitation infrastructure while promoting cooperation over shared resources.
Water remains essential to livelihoods and economic activity across Africa, with agriculture accounting for the large majority of freshwater withdrawals. At the same time, significant portions of the population still lack access to basic drinking water and sanitation services. Organizers of the Biennale framed improved, inclusive governance of these resources as a foundation for reducing tensions, supporting regional integration, and advancing a culture of peace.
The two-day forum, jointly organized by the Government of Angola, the African Union, and UNESCO, also examined links between water management, climate change, migration, and investment in infrastructure and capacity building. The high-level dialogue formed one element of a broader program aimed at fostering cooperation among governments, experts, and younger generations on these interconnected challenges.
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