Gaza war, African conflicts and water crisis take centre stage at AU summit in Addis Ababa

Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (right) listens as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (left) speaks during the closing news conference of the Second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center (AICC) in Addis Ababa, February 13, 2026 [Marco Simoncelli/AFP]

African leaders gathered in Addis Ababa on Saturday for the 39th African Union summit, confronting a world marked by war, political strain and climate shocks. But it was the crisis in Gaza that set the sharpest tone at the opening session.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, African Union Commission chair, told heads of state that the suffering of Palestinians could no longer be ignored.

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“In the Middle East, Palestine and the suffering of its people also challenge our consciences. The extermination of this people must stop,” he said, calling for respect for international law and for the lifting of Israel’sb lockade on humanitarian goods into Gaza.

His remarks drew attention to a war that has reverberated far beyond the region. According to figures cited by Al Jazeera, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 72,045 people and wounded 171,686 since October 2023, even as a ceasefire remains fragile.

The annual summit, which brings together leaders from the African Union’s 55 member states, is expected to focus on security crises across the continent, threats to democracy and the growing impact of climate change.

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This year’s theme centres on water sanitation, an issue that cuts across development, public health and regional stability.

Youssouf also turned to conflicts closer to home, urging an end to violence across Africa.

“From Sudan to the Sahel, to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in Somalia and elsewhere, our people continue to pay the heavy price of instability,” he said, repeating the long standing call for the “silencing of the guns”.

Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary General, addressing the summit, praised the African Union as a “flagship for multilateralism” at a time of global division and mistrust. He renewed his call for reform of the United Nations Security Council, describing the absence of a permanent African seat as “indefensible”.

“This is 2026, not 1946. Whatever decisions about the African world around the table, Africa must be at the table,” Guterres said.

Host nation Ethiopia placed water conservation at the heart of the discussions.    Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister told leaders that water is central to development and stability.

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“Water is more than just a resource. It is a foundation of development, innovation and stability,” he said. “Here in Ethiopia, we have learned that responsible water management is central to guiding development wisely.”

Across Africa, water lies at the centre of some of the continent’s most sensitive disputes and social tensions. It shapes relations between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile. It fuels clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria competing for shrinking arable land.

It underpins protests over service delivery in Madagascar and worsens the spread of disease after floods and droughts.

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As leaders deliberate over the next two days, the summit reflects a continent navigating both internal pressures and global fault lines. From Gaza to the Sahel, and from the United Nations to local water systems, the debates in Addis Ababa are likely to test Africa’s voice and influence at a time of deep uncertainty.

Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.

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