Final Programme Beyond the River - World Water Week

Photo: Mats Lannerstad
Under Cover? Transboundary Aquifers
– The Hidden Asset for Riparian Cooperation in Africa
Convenors: Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Germany, International Association for
Hydrogeologists (IAH), Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), UNEP Division of the Global Environment
Facility (UNEP DGEF) and UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO-IHP)
Groundwater is of vital importance for Africa as about 60
to 90% of all communities are served by this resource.
The conditions for using groundwater differ substantially
and require specialised know-how. This is even more obvious
in cases of transboundary aquifers because usage of
groundwater on one side of a border can considerably influence
the situation on the other side.
In the framework of its International Shared Aquifer
Resources Management (ISARM) project, UNESCO-
IHP organised the international workshop on “Managing
Shared Squifer Resources in Africa” in Tripoli, June 2002.
As a result, more than 38 transboundary aquifers were identified
and mapped. Despite the relevance of these basins for
the well-being of people in many countries, there are very
few attempts until now to cooperate on their management.
While cooperation on surface watercourses is gaining more
and more attention in Africa, fostering the creation and
sharing of benefits from transboundary aquifers remains a
main duty for today’s and future water managers.
The aim of this seminar is to bring out the relevance of
riparian cooperation on groundwater and to clarify what
benefits such cooperation can generate and in which way
they can be best created. Benefits in this context should
not be limited to economic gains but also include increased
social and ecological welfare. The seminar provides a forum
for the exchange of experiences from African transboundary
aquifers. On the basis of these experiences it is
envisaged to stimulate the dialogue between policy makers
and experts from North and South to elaborate new
ideas for transboundary cooperation on groundwater. A
key element of this seminar is the multi-dimensional approach
to benefit sharing. Groundwater is of vital importance
for Sub-Saharan Africa regarding different aspects
of society like human well-being (drinking water supply),
economic development (industry, agriculture) as well as
preserving the environment for future generations. These
manifold functions of groundwater require transboundary
cooperation beyond economic benefit sharing.
Sunday
20 August
Monday
21 August
Tuesday
22 August
Wednesday
23 August
Thursday
24 August
Programme Sunday 20 August, 09:00–17:00 Folkets Hus, Room 307
09:00 Welcome Address. Prof. Jan Lundqvist, SIWI
• Opening Statement on the Behalf of Convenors.
Mr. Martin Kipping, Federal Ministry of Economic
Cooperation and Development – BMZ, Germany
• Opening Statement by Dr. Jaiafar Abubakar Sedeeq, African
Ministers’ Council on Water, Nigeria, tbc
09:15 Keynotes on Technical, Legal, Institutional Issues for Shared
Groundwater Cooperation with Special Focus on Generation
of Regional Benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa
Chair: Dr. Ralf Klingbeil, BGR
• Introductory Note on the Transboundary Aquifers Main
Issues, Recommendations of the UNESCO ISARM Project,
Focus on SSA. Mr. Shammy Puri, UNEP Division of Global
Environment Facility (DGEF)
• Role of Law and Institutions in the Management of
Transboundary Aquifers, Focus on Benefits for SSA. tbc
• The Status of Transboundary Aquifers in the Draft Articles
at the UN ILC and in Regional Conventions in Africa.
Ms. Raya Stephan, UNESCO
• Inventory of Transboundary African Aquifer Systems.
Dr. Bo Appelgren, International Shared Aquifer Resource
Management – ISARM Africa
Discussion
10:15 Coffee Break
10:45 African Cases, Processes, Obstacles and Ways Forward, Concentration
on Benefits for the People in the Region, Beyond
the Actual, Technical Joint Resource Management Issues
Chair: Prof. Jan Lundqvist, SIWI
• Iullemeden Aquifer System. Dr. Abdel Kader Dodo,
Observatory of the Sahara and the Sahel, Tunisia
• Lake Chad Basin. Mr. Segun Adelana, IAH, Vice-President
Sub-Sahara Africa, South Africa
• Cases from SADC Region. Mr. Piet Heyns, Ministry of
Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Namibia
Discussion
12:00 Lunch Break
13:30 Panel Discussion: Why do We Need Transboundary
Groundwater Cooperation? Potentials and Benefits
Moderator: Mr. Peter Croll, Bonn International Centre
for Conversion (BICC), Germany
Panel Participants: Dr. Henry Ntale, African Ministers’
Council on Water, Uganda, (tbc); Dr. Alice Aureli, UNESCO-
IHP; Dr. Wilhelm Struckmeier, BGR, Germany; IAH (tbc);
Mr. Shammy Puri, UNEP DGEF; NGO Representatives (tbc)
14:30 Coffee Break
15:00 Panel Discussion (cont.): What Kind of International Processes/Support
are Needed to Enhance Cooperation Processes?
16:30 Wrap-up and Conclusions. Mr. Peter Croll, BICC
17:00 Closure. BGR, UNESCO
15
Friday
25 August
Saturday
26 August
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