Water and sanitation are crucial aspects of everyday life, yet many communities in Africa continue to face challenges in accessing clean water and proper sanitation facilities. In order to address these issues effectively, it is important to communicate with these communities in languages that they understand and feel comfortable speaking.
The AU theme for 2026 is: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.” It is within this context that the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) is joining in to popularize Africa’s Water Vision and Policy, spreading the word and making a difference in communities across Africa under the theme “Narrating Our Water and Sanitation Stories in African Languages” campaign.
The African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) is a specialized institution of the African Union (AU) established in 2006. Its main objectives are to promote African languages and their use in education, strengthen cooperation among African states, and support cross-border language initiatives. The main role of ACALAN is to also disseminate AU policies, initiatives and strategies in African languages to reach wider populations
ACALAN supports the African Union in implementing Agenda 2063, with a specific focus on Mooshtoot 5, which emphasizes the promotion of African values. This is achieved by ensuring that African languages play a key role in every AU member state’s journey towards attaining at least a middle-income status, being more integrated, capable of resolving conflicts amicably, and having empowered citizens who can enhance productivity