'The hydropolitics of transboundary waters': what does this mean and what does it mean for Africa?

As a first post, it seems logical to simply introduce the mouthful that is ‘the hydropolitics of transboundary waters’ and situate this in Africa, mainly as a way of actually introducing myself to a topic I know little about. Africa is the poorest inhabited continent on earth (IMF, 2011) with wealth disparities within and between its 54 countries. Further disparities exist in access to water, the physically drier North having 92% water coverage (UN, 2014) whilst Sub-Saharan Africa has 300m living in a water scare environment (NEPAD, 2006), where the average supply of water per person <1000m3 p/y (Falkenmark et al, 1989). Figure 1 shows projections for water stress in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2025, although there are issues associated with this measurement (see Taylor, 2004.) Importantly scarcity shouldn’t always be read as lack of fresh water, as often it rather signifies socio-economic and political barriers in accessing available sources - such as potential conflict of use over shared waters.  

Figure 1: Predicted water scarcity by 2025, UN. 

                             

                                                                                                                       











                                                                                                                        Figure 2: Map of the Nile. 

Africa has 59 waters that are transboundary (excluding shared aquifers) with the Nile being shared between eleven countries (fig.2). Unfortunately for some, often downstream riparian’s, the lucky countries upstream don’t have to play particularly nice. If they go by ‘territorial sovereignty’ then in their eyes, they have absolute rights to waters in their territory. Since upstream riparian’s essentially get first dibs on the water source, they can dam, divert, overuse or pollute, negatively affecting the amount and quality of water that flows downstream. Claims to historical rights of use however prove stronger than one might. However, whether those upstream can dam etc. depends on capability to access water, which is where ‘physical, economic and social disparities between riparian river basins’ make management even more complex (UNEP, 2002: vii ). The volatile condition of sharing a resource that for many African countries is scarce, and a resource that is, lets not forget, vital to life, has led to predictions of water wars over this ‘blue gold’.

However, the UNEP (2002) states that we should celebrate the cooperation and riverine integrity approach that is common in international, regional and basin-level treaties managing transboundary waters. I am cautious of some of the African examples it hails commendable, such as the Lesotho Highland Water Project, but this, alongside a deeper look into the legalities of transboundary waters is for another time. This post has simply intended to introduce what I am beginning to realise is the difficult and important reality of hydropolitics in nation plagued by economic water scarcity, that is going to have to be able to share nicely.

Citations:

Falkenmark, L. (1989) ‘The massive water scarcity threatening Africa-why isn't it being addressed?’ Ambio, 18, 2, 112-118.

 Taylor, R.G., 2004. 'Water Resources and development challenges in eastern and southern Africa'. In: T. Bowyer-Bower and D. Potts (Eds.), East and Southern Africa . Regional Development Text, RGS-IBG Developing Areas Research Group, Addison-Wesley Longman (London), Chapter 7, pp. 198-228.

UNEP (2002) Atlas of International Freshwater Agreements, Nairobi: UNEP.