As conversations continue following the just-concluded 39th Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, attention is turning to one of the continent’s most urgent challenges water security, which was the fulcrum of discussion and the policies needed to confront a growing crisis affecting millions of Africans.

At a time when climate pressures, rapid urbanization, and infrastructure gaps are intensifying water stress across the region, our guest, Sareen Malik, Executive Secretary of the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), brings critical insight into how decisions taken at the AU level can translate into real change on the ground from improving sanitation systems to strengthening accountability in water management.

Sareen, who is also Vice-Chair of the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), shares her perspective on the key outcomes of the summit, what they mean for African countries, and why turning high-level commitments into community-level action will be essential to securing the continent’s water future. She was our guest on Citizens’ Hour.