Continental Security, Water Resources Take Center Stage in 39th AU Leaders’ Summit 

Addis Ababa, January 13, 2026 (ENA)— The 39th African Union (AU) has set a comprehensive agenda for its upcoming high-level summits in January and February 2026, placing the resolution of persistent security crises and the strategic management of water resources at the forefront of continental priorities.

The 39th African Union (AU) has outlined a comprehensive agenda for its high-level summits scheduled for January and February 2026, elevating the resolution of protracted security crises and the strategic management of water resources to the top of the continent’s priorities.

The 51st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), which convened this week, is preparing the groundwork for the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 39th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

The summits will center on the 2026 Theme of the Year: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” reflecting a vital commitment to life, development, and climate resilience.

Central to the deliberations are the escalating security challenges in the Sahel, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, and Libya.

African leaders are also anticipated to address the troubling resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government and the widening threat of terrorism across several regions.

These sessions aim to strengthen the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and enhance the Union's capacity for swift conflict prevention and resolution.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Miguel César Domingos Bembe, Angola’s Permanent Representative to the AU, emphasized the need for a radical shift in how the continent handles internal strife.

Water is life, and without it, no development is possible, he said.

However, peace remains the indispensable foundation for all our ambitions, Miguel César Domingos stated.

He informed the committee that Angola is formally proposing an Extraordinary Summit on Conflict in Africa to specifically address the reform of the continent’s peace and security mechanisms.

The Ambassador highlighted the necessity of reviewing the AU’s response capacity to better counter the activities of armed groups and terrorist organizations such as Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram.

He also noted that the upcoming sessions would oversee the election of new members to the Peace and Security Council (PSC), ensuring a renewed and robust mandate for the 15-member body to tackle the continent's most pressing vulnerabilities.

Furthering its commitment to regional stability, Angola announced it will host the biennial "Luanda Biennale" for the Culture of Peace in October 2026, aimed at fostering harmony through cultural and diplomatic engagement.