IWRM Lessons from the African rivers of Nile and Senegal

Edouard BOINET
Deputy project manager
International Office for Water
[email protected]
Tuesday 27th September 2012
International Yellow River Forum
THE NILE CASE, REIGN OF POLITICS OVER SCIENCE: a century of miscalculations
 160 million people, 10% of Africa, 10 countries
 A clearly suboptimal (not to say catastrophic) management of water
 The colonial era legacy of a downstream monopolisation of water resources
 Until recently powerlessly objected by upstream States
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Downstream State the most hydrologically vulnerable and the most militarily powerful
Iniquitous legal argument (historical rights and absolute territorial integrity doctrine) The Egyptian carrot (limited cooperation strategy) and stick (military threats, blocking funds strategy) approach
A RECENT SHIFT TOWARDS COOPERATION?
 Evolution in the balance of power (economics, demography, diplomacy) and international law (UN 1997 Convention)
 The Nile Basin Initiative and the 14th of May 2010 agreement  The necessity of success through IWRM:
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The Grand Millenium dam and the Nile basin commission for a truelly IWRM taking into account comparative advantages THE SENEGAL BASIN ORGANIZATION (OMVS): a IWRM role model?
 The roots of cooperation:
 A positive colonial era legacy
 The blank page paradox
 Revolutionary principles:
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Prior agreement ‐> Regional development plan ‐> Infrastructures built are common property Balance of the funding efforts according to balance of benefits granted
 Outstanding adaptive capacity:
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Public participation (Local and National Coordination Committees)
Environment (PASIE, Water Charter)
« The chameleon changes colour to match the earth, the earth doesn’t change to match the chameleon »
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!