Luanda Declaration calls for improved water governance in Africa

Participants at the 4th Luanda Biennial have issued the Luanda Declaration, advocating for strengthened water resource governance across Africa to prevent conflicts, promote peace, and enhance regional integration.

The declaration, produced by the Angolan government, the African Union Commission, and UNESCO, highlights the risks posed by climate change, droughts, and floods to food security and political stability. It notes that while over 70 percent of the African population depends on 73 transboundary river basins, only 29 percent of these basins have formal joint management treaties, and fewer than 10 percent of transboundary aquifers are managed cooperatively.

Key recommendations include strengthening water diplomacy, sharing real-time technical data, and establishing autonomous management bodies for all shared basins by 2030. The document also calls for integrating water diplomacy into the African Union’s early warning systems and protecting water infrastructure during armed conflicts. Additionally, participants proposed a minimum 40 percent female representation in management committees.