Doctrine of coordinated investments: a basis for peaceful and optimal development of multi-purpose hydraulic infrastructures in transboundary river basins in Africa
Olivier Cogels, March 2022
Speech prepared by Olivier Cogels for the World Water Forum 2022, Dakar, Session 3D1 - Promote dialogue and concertation on the preparation of development plans for safe and sustainable transboundary infrastructure. Organized by the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO)
Madam President of the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for devoting a few minutes of your time to me. My presentation will focus on dialogue and consultation between States in Africa.
Fifty years ago, the region where we are now was struck by a severe drought. The Heads of State of the countries sharing the Senegal River basin understood that they could only face this crisis effectively by working together. The Senegal River Basin Organization, OMVS, was created in Nouakchott on March 11, 1972, with a joint investment program focusing on hydropower, irrigated agriculture, and navigation.
An inclusive mechanism was established based on the principle that all major investments must be planned together, that the infrastructures are common goods, that the search for investments is conducted together, and that the benefits are shared according to criteria and rules accepted by all.
This approach allowed OMVS to become an important regional agency for economic, social development, and integration. Significant investments have taken place and are continuing in perfect agreement and in a peaceful manner. Today we speak of the "OMVS Model," and the organization is nominated for the next Nobel Peace Prize. An institutional reform is underway to provide OMVS with a self-financing mechanism.
Currently, a large part of the continent is facing an unprecedented hydro-climatic crisis. While one out of three Africans already suffers from a lack of water, this crisis is likely to worsen, knowing that the population will double in 25 or 30 years to reach 2.5 billion inhabitants.
As there is still high development potential, significant investments will probably continue for several decades. More multipurpose dams and reservoirs will be built, along with more embankments, canals, water transfers, irrigation schemes, and so on.
Yet, in Africa, more than 80% of renewable water resources are transboundary. Most investments will, therefore, have a transboundary dimension, either being located on the border of neighboring countries or having impacts on the hydrological regime of the river network. These investments can be sources of conflict or opportunities for cooperation.
Two key questions are:
What will be the level of cooperation for the planning, implementation, and management of those investments?
What will be the role played by the basin organizations?
In Africa, there are more than 60 transboundary lake and river basins. Unfortunately, for most of them, cooperation is still far from sufficient. Several basins do not yet have agreements. For others, cooperation is usually based on what is called the "doctrine of limited territorial sovereignty." The principles are fair sharing, reasonable use, non-harm, and prior notification. Although this is undeniably a big step forward, there is usually no strong obligation for joint planning and management of major investments, which are often planned independently, both between countries and between sectors.
Insufficient cooperation for major investments leads to (1) suboptimal use of resources, (2) financial risks and (3) risks of political tensions and conflicts. In this regard, several African basins are already considered "high risk." With the growing competition for water, some authors believe that these risks could jeopardize regional stability.
Concerning basin organizations, most of them are financially weak and highly dependent on foreign aid, with consequences for their strategic orientations. Many basin organizations are not sufficiently involved in the planning and implementation of investments, which leads to difficulties in delivering tangible results for the direct benefit of the populations. This can result in a loss of confidence from their member governments.
Just as for the Senegal River half a century ago, it is essential that the Heads of States become more aware that they will only be able to face the continent's major water crisis and ensure water, energy, and food security for their populations based on stronger cooperation. It seems evident to me that all riparian states of water-stressed basins should commit to joint, or at least well-coordinated, planning, implementation, and management of all their major investments. I think that for all transboundary basins suffering from water stress, cooperation should at least be based on the following principles:
- Be implemented through a robust "joint multi-sectoral investment program" at the basin level, negotiated, approved, and promoted at the highest level of states. Investment is considered here in the broad sense, including the development of human and institutional capacities as well as social and environmental protection measures.
- This joint program should be unique, highly visible, and have the support of public opinion, avoiding dispersion in a multitude of inconsistent projects and programs;
- The joint program should be economic in nature, focusing on growth while minimizing negative social and environmental impacts;
- Its objective should be explicitly the water, energy, food, and environmental security of the countries concerned;
- It should quickly lead to tangible results for the direct benefit of the populations.
- And finally, it should set up coordinated or joint management of all major existing hydraulic infrastructures.
As for the basin organizations, I think their priority role - their core business - should be the coordinated planning and implementation of the joint investment program. They need to be strengthened accordingly, which implies higher and more regular contributions from member states and the development of self-financing mechanisms linked to the investments.In other words, I think that Africa needs a new doctrine of transboundary water cooperation, which I suggest to call the "doctrine of coordinated investments."
The African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO) can play a key role in this regard. This organization, which has 20 members and whose secretariat is hosted by the OMVS, already brings together the main Transboundary Lake and River Basin Organizations of the continent, accounting for more than 80% of the transboundary water resources. As a sub-committee of the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), ANBO is particularly well placed to guide the water policy at the highest level along the lines of the approach presented here and ANBO's 2020-2024 Action Plan.
In conclusion, I would say that in view of the worsening water crisis, let us hope that the African Heads of State will soon adopt a much more ambitious transboundary cooperation policy by (1) engaging in joint planning of all their investments of a transboundary nature within the framework of joint multi-sectoral investment programs at the basin level, (2) giving all their basin organizations the mandate and the means to jointly plan and implement such programs.
Thank you for your kind attention.
The African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO) can play a key role in this regard. This organization, which has 20 members and whose secretariat is hosted by the OMVS, already brings together the main Transboundary Lake and River Basin Organizations of the continent, accounting for more than 80% of the transboundary water resources. As a sub-committee of the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), ANBO is particularly well placed to guide the water policy at the highest level along the lines of the approach presented here and ANBO's 2020-2024 Action Plan.
In conclusion, I would say that in view of the worsening water crisis, let us hope that the African Heads of State will soon adopt a much more ambitious transboundary cooperation policy by (1) engaging in joint planning of all their investments of a transboundary nature within the framework of joint multi-sectoral investment programs at the basin level, (2) giving all their basin organizations the mandate and the means to jointly plan and implement such programs.
Thank you for your kind attention.