Finale: An overview

Over the past 12 weeks we have examined the critical role politics plays in developing and managing shared water resources mainly on the Nile. The interaction between governments, communities and private enterprise have been at the forefront of this research- with the end goal of highlighting the importance of a collaborative discourse between all stakeholders, establishing a common goal for the long term sustainable future of water resources in East Africa.

“African water management is also, by definition, transboundary water management” (Kimenyi and Mbaku, 2015 p1)

The Nile River (Waddington, 2014)

From a development perspective, population change and demographic transitions have been key in the discourse surrounding contemporary water management frameworks. In 1990, the Nile basin population was 160 million, today this figure has increased by 40% to 224 million people (almost ¼ of Africas population) (Appelgran et.al, 2000). Nile Basin Initiative’s (2012) report on the state of the Nile River Basin highlights population growth as ‘a two-sided development issue’. A large, and growing population on the one hand results in improved economic growth and greater human activity resulting in the increasing capacity for improved living standards and wealth creation. However; on the other hand, population growth in the context of a transboundary water source results in increasing demand for water resources, and consequently increased inter-regional competition and conflict- which often results in the unsustainable and unregulated development of shared water resources. Thus, the debate over the last century has involved the need for a new, basin wide framework emphasising a cooperative approach to water management to keep up with changing demographic trends.

One of the main challenges facing successful water management embodies Hardin’s (1968) theory, the tragedy of the commons. External to state development, and private sector projects- for sustainable water management to be successful in the long term, local communities and nations need to understand the shared water vision. Long-term benefits need to outweigh short term returns, and people need to be educated on the importance of integrative management approaches.

From a hydro-political stance, Klare’s (2001) water war’s theory, provides a hypothetical projection of the future of water resources “transforming peaceful competition into violence” (Barnaby, 2009), allowing hydro-diplomacy to gain significance in the field of hydro-politics and in water management discourse. This has been challenged in literature (Barnaby, 2009; Pohl and Schmeier, 2014), as cooperative frameworks have always outweighed water conflicts in the past, and with a growing academic field in cooperative water management, a war over water is unlikely to occur. Ultimately, good water resource management must consider issues of population, poverty, environment as well as consider perspectives from all stakeholders with an influence on water distribution.

Summary and Recommendations

1)    Economic and Physical Water Scarcity

-       Political and economic conditions have a more significant impact on water availability and thus water scarcity than the prevalence of physical water resources in a nation.

2)    ‘Sharing the Nile’

-       Power of the commons: A theme prevalent through all blog posts on the interaction between humans and their natural resources. Water users need to understand the need for shared planning regarding transboundary water sources. Self-interest isn’t sustainable for such a fragile source.

-       Water wars: In the context of Egypt and the rest of the Nile’s riparian states, a shared vision has been lacking historically, and increasing demand for water by upstream states has made Egypt vulnerable to water shortages, and thus ready to fight for the water they have majority rights over.

3)    Nile Basin Initiative

-       A positive breakthrough: disregarding historical frameworks and creating discourse for shared water resource management, and equitable distribution of water amongst riparian states. The starting point of the (hopefully) positive development of the Niles waters.

-       Emphasis on long-term development

4)    A colonial view; A postcolonial view:

-       Historical frameworks are outdated, and need to be revised to keep up with modern trends in development.

-       Post-colonial Africa remains tied to colonial activity through such frameworks, which were developed purely out of self-interest with little regard to other riparian states.

5)    The Future, Integrated Water Management?; Berki Watershed, Ethiopia

-        Collaboration between key stakeholders is crucial to the sustainable future of water development. There needs a balance between private enterprise investment and government intervention and guidance. Ultimately, governments need to create a facilitating environment for sustainable development, so private enterprise can work towards a more cooperative, inclusive future.  

-       IWRM needs to transition from being a theoretical concept, to being put into action.

6)    Water Grabbing

-        A contemporary example of a non-collaborative approach to the distribution of water, driven by monetary incentives for local governments ignoring the benefits of all, in exchange for the profit of a few (Callicott, 1991). Lack of control over the allocation of water resources, allowing large foreign companies to grab land for agricultural purposes. The water resources that come with this land are taken without considering the social and environmental consequences of local populations, whose access to land and water is often disregarded by governments and large corporations creating a negative spiral of poverty and hunger.

Thank you for joining me on this enlightening journey, I hope you now have a greater understanding of the nature of transboundary water resources, and the political complexities that come along with it.