African Union

New policies alone will not drive Africa's digital transformation; institutions and people who put implement them will. Across the continent, regulators are learning from one another while young innovators are helping African Union institutions develop digital solutions from within. GIZ supports these efforts to strengthen digital governance and innovation.

Every year, millions cross borders within and across Africa. Some in search of work, some fleeing climate disasters. Both face the same challenge: systems meant to protect people on the move are often fragmented, under-resourced, or not built for scale. That's why GIZ supports the African Union (AU) to strengthen labour migration governance, skills mobility and people-centered responses to climate mobility.

Africa currently faces a significant annual funding gap of $35–38 billion for securing water and sanitation for its people. To address this, the continent has formally adopted the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy (AWVP63), which outlines a commitment to achieving a "water secure and resilient Africa with safe sanitation for all."

Between April and June 2026, the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) brought policymakers, experts and partners together to exchange knowledge, shape policy discussions and strengthen Africa-Europe cooperation on the energy transition.

The journey towards regional trade reached an important milestone for 38 companies from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda with their participation at Kenya SME Expo 2026. These small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are graduates of Q-Boost, a training and coaching program of the GIZ programme “Alliance for Product Quality in Africa”. With quality management systems in place, the companies successfully linked up with regional buyers.

Mpulungu Harbour in Zambia is taking steps towards becoming a modern, climate-resilient trade hub. Following validation of a market assessment supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), stakeholders agreed on priorities including port modernisation, new commercial partnerships and piloting the Continental Green Ports Guidelines of the African Union Commission (AUC).

The Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) and its partners advanced discussions on strengthening land administration education by exploring a shared core body of knowledge for the profession. The workshop showcased innovative approaches to teaching, capacity development and collaboration to make land governance education more relevant across Africa.

GIZ AU, in partnership with the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), is developing three Advisory Opinions for the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, focusing on violence against women and girls (VAWG) and femicide. Two workshops in Nairobi and Addis Ababa engaged legal experts and activists to strengthen legal protections, clarify state obligations, and enhance access to justice across Africa.

Borders can divide – but also connect. Ethiopia has taken an important step towards transforming its border areas into gateways for trade, cooperation and shared prosperity: A new national Border Governance Roadmap lays the foundation for adopting the African Union Integrated Border Governance Strategy at the national level, creating a coordinated approach.