Africa cannot afford conflict around water resources
Cooperation is a must
Africa is a leader in transboundary water cooperation and has over 54 shared river basins across regional economic development communities.
With Africa still recovering from the severe negative impacts of Covid-19 and faced with new challenges due to the war in Europe, it cannot delay its development agendas, let alone afford conflict about basic resources such as water.
This according to agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein, who said with increasing competition for water among states and declining available water resources due to population growth and climate change impacts, transboundary cooperation is a must.
As one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and downstream of most river basins, cooperation allows Namibia and other basin states to have dialogues around sharing of water in equitable and reasonable manner as well as developing joint infrastructure projects to the benefit of all, he said.
“Benefit-sharing presents an alternative to the traditional transboundary water management paradigm.”
Schlettwein, who is also president of the African Union's specialised committee for water and sanitation (AMCOW), was speaking at a high-level event on ‘Lessons and Perspectives on Water Cooperation for Africa and Europe from the 2022 Dakar Forum to the 2023 United Nations (UN) Water Conference’, held in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to him, at continental level, Africa is a leader in transboundary water cooperation and has over 54 shared river basins across regional economic development communities - most of which have operational arrangements – but, unfortunately, some of them have potential for conflict.
“It cannot be overstressed that cooperation in the management and development of transboundary water resources is a key building block towards regional and economic integration.
“The Africa Water Vision looks to an Africa where there is equitable and sustainable use and management of all shared water resources - whether groundwater or any form of surface water - for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation and environment stewardship,” he said.
Cooperation requires funds
Schlettwein added that AMCOW, as a pan-African institution, has a responsibility to effectively and efficiently coordinate water and sanitation projects on the continent and facilitate the strengthening of regional cooperation and transboundary water management and development.
“Cooperation requires funds, therefore AMCOW also coordinates funding projects such as the Africa Investment Programme, which is aimed at transforming the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable Africa.”
Developing water infrastructure will ensure access to water and sanitation for all, he said.
However, investment in transboundary water projects in Africa remains very slow, hampering progress towards the continent’s economic growth aspirations and the respective 2030 Sustainable Development Goal targets.
“I, therefore, call upon governments and other actors to mainstream transboundary water cooperation and issues at stake at the 2023 UN Water Conference, including during the preparatory phase.”
Since 1886
The minister said Namibia has benefitted from cooperation on transboundary water since 1886 when the first border agreement was signed that defines the borders of Angola and Namibia, and the mutual use of the water of the Kunene River.
Angola and Namibia have since been cooperating and benefitting from the waters of the river.
Similarly, Namibia is party to river basin commissions that cooperate and jointly manage the Orange-Sengu basin, Okavango Basin, Zambezi Basin and Cuvelai Basin.
This according to agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein, who said with increasing competition for water among states and declining available water resources due to population growth and climate change impacts, transboundary cooperation is a must.
As one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and downstream of most river basins, cooperation allows Namibia and other basin states to have dialogues around sharing of water in equitable and reasonable manner as well as developing joint infrastructure projects to the benefit of all, he said.
“Benefit-sharing presents an alternative to the traditional transboundary water management paradigm.”
Schlettwein, who is also president of the African Union's specialised committee for water and sanitation (AMCOW), was speaking at a high-level event on ‘Lessons and Perspectives on Water Cooperation for Africa and Europe from the 2022 Dakar Forum to the 2023 United Nations (UN) Water Conference’, held in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to him, at continental level, Africa is a leader in transboundary water cooperation and has over 54 shared river basins across regional economic development communities - most of which have operational arrangements – but, unfortunately, some of them have potential for conflict.
“It cannot be overstressed that cooperation in the management and development of transboundary water resources is a key building block towards regional and economic integration.
“The Africa Water Vision looks to an Africa where there is equitable and sustainable use and management of all shared water resources - whether groundwater or any form of surface water - for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation and environment stewardship,” he said.
Cooperation requires funds
Schlettwein added that AMCOW, as a pan-African institution, has a responsibility to effectively and efficiently coordinate water and sanitation projects on the continent and facilitate the strengthening of regional cooperation and transboundary water management and development.
“Cooperation requires funds, therefore AMCOW also coordinates funding projects such as the Africa Investment Programme, which is aimed at transforming the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable Africa.”
Developing water infrastructure will ensure access to water and sanitation for all, he said.
However, investment in transboundary water projects in Africa remains very slow, hampering progress towards the continent’s economic growth aspirations and the respective 2030 Sustainable Development Goal targets.
“I, therefore, call upon governments and other actors to mainstream transboundary water cooperation and issues at stake at the 2023 UN Water Conference, including during the preparatory phase.”
Since 1886
The minister said Namibia has benefitted from cooperation on transboundary water since 1886 when the first border agreement was signed that defines the borders of Angola and Namibia, and the mutual use of the water of the Kunene River.
Angola and Namibia have since been cooperating and benefitting from the waters of the river.
Similarly, Namibia is party to river basin commissions that cooperate and jointly manage the Orange-Sengu basin, Okavango Basin, Zambezi Basin and Cuvelai Basin.
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