By Rodrigue Fenelon Massala, senior reporter
The fourth edition of the Luanda Biennial is taking place on October 22 and 23, 2026 in the Angolan capital, under the auspices of UNESCO and the African Union, in collaboration with the Angolan government. Devoted to water governance as a tool for conflict prevention, mediation, and resolution, this meeting brings together several African leaders and institutional actors around the issues of transboundary cooperation.
Present at the opening of the event, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, placed water resources management at the center of his intervention, emphasizing the need to reconcile regional cooperation, environmental preservation, and respect for the sovereignty of states.
The DRC occupies a unique position in this issue. Crossed by the Congo River, the second largest river in the world by flow after the Amazon, it has a significant shared hydrographic network with several countries in Central Africa, including the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, through the Ubangi Basin.
These resources represent a considerable potential for hydroelectric production, agriculture, river transport, fishing, and drinking water supply. However, their exploitation raises governance issues, particularly in terms of resource sharing, ecosystem protection, and coordination among riparian countries.
In his speech, Félix Tshisekedi defended a water diplomacy approach based on consultation mechanisms and agreements between states. According to this approach, the management of transboundary basins requires sharing hydrological data, coordinated investments, and mechanisms to prevent disputes related to resource use.
The Congolese president also addressed the sensitive issue of transferring water from the Congo River to other hydrographic basins. He reaffirmed that no project of this nature could be considered without a referendum consultation of the Congolese people and without scientific guarantees concerning the preservation of national interests and ecological balances.
This position particularly refers to the recurring debates on water transfer projects from the Congo Basin to the Lake Chad Basin. For Kinshasa, any cooperation initiative in this field must respect the constitutional and legal provisions of the DRC as well as its sovereignty over its natural resources.
On the sidelines of the Biennial, according to our information, the DRC and Angola are also examining several avenues for bilateral cooperation. Discussions focus on the exchange of hydrological data, protection of transboundary ecosystems, pollution control, expert training, and modernization of water supply networks.
The development of energy solutions compatible with environmental preservation is also among the areas considered. An Angolan expert in the sector emphasizes that these initiatives should be based on a precise identification of the economic, social, and environmental benefits for the countries involved.
Beyond the discussions between Kinshasa and Luanda, water resources governance raises the question of the articulation between national sovereignty and regional integration. In a context marked by the effects of climate change and increasing water and energy needs, cooperation mechanisms between riparian states constitute a security and development challenge for several regions of the continent.
The Luanda Biennial thus provides a framework for discussing legal, institutional, and financial instruments that could frame this cooperation. For the DRC, the challenge is to valorize its water potential while retaining control over decisions regarding its exploitation.
