39th Arican Union Summit in Ethiopia: Water, Security and AI on the agenda
France 24
by FRANCE24February 14, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The 39th African Union (AU) Summit, held in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, kicked off with a focus on critical issues such as water access, security, and emerging topics like AI. During his opening remarks, AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf strongly condemned what he described as the “extermination” of the Palestinian people, drawing attention to ongoing conflicts across the continent. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed African leaders, urging them to advocate for permanent representation of Africa on the United Nations Security Council. While this year’s official theme centers on water and sanitation, the summit has been overshadowed by security concerns due to persistent conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which have dominated discussions.
The AU selected “Access to Water: A Matter of Survival” as its 2023 theme, reflecting the urgent need for sustainable solutions to address water scarcity across Africa. Correspondent Tom Canetti noted that water access is intricately linked to broader challenges like climate change, migration, and economic stability, making it a matter of survival for many communities. However, the ongoing conflicts in Sudan and DRC have pushed security issues to the forefront of the summit’s agenda, highlighting the region’s complex and interconnected crises.
In addition to traditional topics like water access and conflict resolution, discussions at the summit also touched on the role of AI and technology in addressing African challenges. While
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Originally published on France 24 on 2/14/2026