LUANDA, Angola — Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier J. P. Nduhungirehe has called on African institutions to involve young people in decisions governing the continent’s water resources, placing youth participation at the centre of his contribution to the fourth Luanda Biennale.
According to our sources, Nduhungirehe said the African Union, regional economic communities, basin organisations and other regional mechanisms should incorporate young people’s perspectives into water governance decisions.
His remarks came during a high-level intergenerational dialogue examining how inclusive governance can support sustainable water supplies and safe sanitation across Africa.
A Place for Young People in Policymaking
According to Nduhungirehe’s account, the foreign ministers of Angola, Namibia, Tanzania and Rwanda exchanged views with young African leaders from Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, The Gambia, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal, South Sudan and Tanzania.
The discussion brought senior policymakers and younger representatives into a shared conversation about the institutions responsible for managing water and sanitation.
Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the session sought to strengthen cooperation between generations and encourage meaningful youth involvement in developing responses to Africa’s water and sanitation challenges.
Nduhungirehe’s intervention focused on participation in decision-making itself, directing attention to continental and regional bodies whose work shapes the management of shared resources.
Water Cooperation as a Foundation for Peace
Held in Luanda on 22–23 October, the biennale links water governance with conflict prevention, mediation and resolution. The African Union identifies equitable access to drinking water, safe sanitation and cooperative management of shared resources as central objectives of the gathering.
Jointly organised by the African Union and Angola in partnership with UNESCO, the forum also addresses connections between water scarcity, climate change and displacement. Its programme emphasises the participation and leadership of women and young people in water governance and peacebuilding.
Turning Participation Into Influence
Rwanda’s contribution highlights a practical question for the institutions represented in Luanda: how to give younger generations an effective voice in policies that will shape their access to essential services.
The minister’s appeal extends beyond attendance at international meetings. By identifying the African Union, regional communities and basin organisations, he placed responsibility for greater youth inclusion within the institutions that help guide water policy and cooperation.
The ministry’s account similarly emphasised meaningful participation, presenting dialogue between generations as a way to develop sustainable responses to water and sanitation challenges.
Together, the statements place Rwanda’s contribution firmly within the forum’s central discussion: how inclusive institutions and cooperation over essential resources can support Africa’s long-term development.
