Addis Ababa, February 17-18, 2026
Transboundary water cooperation is a cornerstone of climate resilience, regional stability, and sustainable development across Africa. Strengthening governance and mobilizing investments in shared river basins and aquifers are therefore central to the continent’s long-term development agenda.
Within this framework, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) plays an active role in continental processes aimed at reinforcing coordinated governance and accelerating climate-resilient water investments. Through its engagement in the Pan-African Dialogue on Transboundary Water Management, the OSS contributes to enhancing technical coordination among African institutions, basin organizations, regional economic communities, and financial partners.
Participating in the Pan-African Dialogue on Transboundary Water Management, organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and AMCOW in partnership with GIZ, the GEF and UNDP, Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra, OSS Executive Secretary and President of the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), emphasized that transboundary cooperation is no more a theoretical principle, but a daily operational reality. He highlighted the crucial role of basin organizations in translating continental commitments into tangible action through political dialogue among riparian States, joint management of shared infrastructure, information systems coordination, climate planning, and support for investment mobilization. He further underscored the vital importance of water as a driver of peace and stability in Africa, making a significant contribution to the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The Executive Secretary underscored the importance of consolidating technical priorities at the continental level, strengthening the development of bankable projects, and promoting peer-to-peer learning, while ensuring complementarity among existing mechanisms. Under the leadership of the African Union, which has designated 2026 as the Year of "Ensuring sustainable availability of water and reliable sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063", this continental synergy represents a key milestone in aligning and reinforcing investment initiatives under the Africa Investment Program (AIP), serving as a catalyst for reaching “the Africa We Want.”