Ethiopia Will Continue Advocating for Africa to Lead Cooperation, Win-Win Approach in Water Dev't

Emphasizing a collaborative approach and adherence to the principles of prudent and reasonable use of transboundary resources, Water and Energy Minister's Special Advisor, Motuma Mekassa, said Ethiopia will continue to advocate for Africa to lead a collaborative and win-win approach in water development.

Speaking at the Conference themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” at the African Leadership Excellence Academy, the Special Advisor stated that sustainable water availability and safe sanitation are central to Africa’s collective progress on development, regional partnership, public health, and climate resilience.

Ethiopia views water governance as both a development priority and a diplomatic tool, he noted, underscoring the role of cooperation in shared river basins.

Motuma also pointed out the ongoing challenges across the continent, including limited access to safe water and sanitation, climate change impacts, weak institutional systems, and the continuing burden faced particularly by women and girls.

 

He described the conference as a platform that strengthens dialogue on transboundary cooperation and generates recommendations to support regional water governance.

Shared rivers like the major basins such as the Congo and Senegal systems require stronger hydro diplomacy, institutional trust, long-term investment frameworks, and measures that deliver mutual benefits for stability and cooperation, the Special Advisor said.

“Ethiopia remains committed to the principles of prudent and the reasonable utilization of transboundary resource," Motuma noted, urging for policy dialogue, technical cooperation, investment planning, and broader continental partnership aligned with Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals.

Vice Chief of the African Leadership Excellence Academy, Meseret Desta, cited the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a powerful example of connectivity in the region, noting that the energy generated could support integration, enable trade and development, and act as a “connector of people, economies, and opportunities.”

 

Meseret also said that sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems are not merely technical, but a matter of dignity, human development, and governance.

Access to water, according to her, is tied to whether institutions function effectively, whether leaders prioritize long-term impact, and whether systems serve communities consistently and fairly.

She added that water governance demands shared responsibility, saying that Africa’s destinies are interconnected across rivers, energy systems, and trade routes.

The Vice Chief stressed that infrastructure and cooperation do not manage or sustain themselves, calling for continuous engagement and leadership systems to maintain momentum.