African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

SHARING WATERFOR REGIONALINTEGRATIONIWRM’S overriding principle is the adoption ofa holistic approach to combine water resourcesmanagement with ecosystem conservation needs,using the river basin as the base unit (Andah,1987, 2003). The question is what type of riverbasin? Is it the physically observable one whoseboundaries are geographically delineated or theinseparable form-process interactive unit? Theriver drainage network is therefore a complexsystem with inseparable attributes of form andprocess necessary for the management of waterresources in harmony with the environment. Inall scientific works in which the systems analysisis applied to morphology, physical geography andhydrology, the river network system is the closestto the principle of structural development inwhich an elementary water system continuouslydevelops into a complex large river system of networksof branches, tributaries and streams. Thisexplains why water basins are said to know noethnic, regional, national or international boundariesas well as the concept that transboundaryriver basins must be considered and analyzed usingan integrated framework (Andah, 2002).within the catchment areas of one or more transboundaryriver systems.Table 11.1 lists some major transboundaryriver/lake basins in Africa and the Map belowshows approximate boundaries of some of thesetransboundary river/lake basins. Twelve Africancountries are linked to four or more river basins– a good example is Cameroon as shown in table11.2. Some of the shared water basins containa tremendous amount and variety of naturalresources potentials, including cross-boundaryhydropower generation, large-scale multi-countryirrigation schemes, inter- and intra-countrynavigation, joint inland fisheries development,joint use of water supply sources, environmentalprotection, wildlife conservation, recreationand eco-tourism development. The Congo RiverBasin alone holds almost 30 per cent of Africa’stotal fresh surface water reserves and the world’slargest hydropower potential in any one singleriver basin (see Box 11.1). Not only will integrateddevelopment of these transboundary naturalresources contribute substantially to the socioeconomicdevelopment of the riparian countriessharing them, it will also promote and enhancesubregional and regional cooperation for economicintegration in Africa. Such an integrateddevelopment of resources for the benefit of allrequires enhanced cooperation among the ripariancountries sharing them.SHARING WATER FOR REGIONAL INTEGRATIONTransboundary Water Basins in AfricaMost of the fresh surface water resources of Africaare found in a number of major transboundaryriver/lake basins – some shared by as many asten African countries. The continent has over 80major transboundary river/lake basins, some ofwhich are among the largest in the world. About55 of the world’s 200 major international riversare in Africa - a number greater than in anyother continent. Some of these basins are sharedby as many as ten or more African countries, andten major river basins are shared by more thanfour African countries. The political boundariesof fourteen African countries almost entirely fallThe Second Principle of the RioDeclaration:“States have, in accordance with the Charter of theUnited Nations and the principles of internationallaw, the sovereign right to exploit their own resourcespursuant to their own environmental anddevelopment policies, and the responsibility to ensurethat activities within their jurisdiction or controldo not cause damage to the environment of otherStates or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.”253