Africa’s Future Depends On Unity, Water Security …Bianca Ojukwu
At a time when Africa faces growing pressure from climate change, insecurity and economic inequality, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called for stronger continental unity and urgent investment in sustainable water and sanitation systems across Africa.
Speaking at the 2026 Africa Day celebration in Abuja, the minister said Africa Day remains a symbol of the courage and vision of the continent’s founding fathers who established the Organisation of African Unity in 1963, now the African Union, to promote solidarity and liberation across the continent.
She stressed that Africa’s cultural heritage, including its languages, traditions, arts and indigenous knowledge systems, must continue to serve as a foundation for peace-building, regional integration and sustainable development.
According to her, African unity remains the continent’s strongest tool for confronting shared challenges such as insecurity, climate vulnerability and global inequality.
Highlighting this year’s Africa Day theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation System to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu described water as central to human survival, economic growth and environmental sustainability.
She lamented that millions of Africans still lack access to clean water and proper sanitation, warning that poor sanitation systems continue to expose communities to disease outbreaks and environmental degradation, with women and children bearing the heaviest burden.
The minister further urged African nations to strengthen cooperation over shared water resources, invest in resilient infrastructure and embrace innovation to guarantee equitable access to water and sanitation services.
She noted that the theme aligns with Agenda 2063, the continent’s blueprint for inclusive growth and sustainable development, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to deepen regional cooperation and support Africa’s economic transformation.
She called on Africans to renew their faith in the continent by promoting unity, preserving cultural heritage and building a future driven by dignity, opportunity and prosperity for all.
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