The World Water Week is underway this week (25-29 August 2024), centered around the theme “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future.” The event aims to emphasise the importance of water as a resource that transcends individual countries, requiring cross-border, regional, and international collaboration. Given the significance of water for health, livelihoods, wildlife, economies, and natural environments, it is crucial to promote policies, programs, and initiatives that offer inclusive, interdisciplinary, and holistic solutions to enhance water accessibility, quality, security, and sustainability.
This year’s event will highlight critical issues such as water security through nature-based solutions and the benefits of inclusion, stewardship, and cooperation in promoting water security. Attendees, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and members of the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), will focus on linking healthy lands, water security, and drought resilience. Discussions will also cover water as a public good for peace in regions such as West Africa, disaster management in the context of extreme weather events, and integrated approaches to early warning systems.
The event provides an opportunity to spotlight Africa’s seven Great Lakes (Victoria, Tanganyika, Malawi, Turkana, Albert, Kivu, and Edward). These lakes are among the world’s most important freshwater systems, supporting the livelihoods of over 50 million people across 10 countries. They are integral to Africa’s Blue Economy, offering opportunities in sustainable fisheries, agriculture, tourism, transportation, and energy. For instance, Lake Victoria supports an economy valued at $300 million, employing over 800,000 fishers. However, the effects of climate change could lead to climate-induced migration of over 38 million people in the Lake Victoria Basin by 2050. Lake Malawi, contributing to about 4% of Malawi’s GDP, directly supports the livelihoods of over 500,000 people. Moreover, the Great Lakes are crucial for drinking water, transportation, leisure, energy, irrigation, agriculture, and ecosystem conservation.
Water Cooperation for Peace and Security
Given that the African Great Lakes are transboundary, shared across communities with diverse cultural norms, economies, legislation, and policy frameworks, there is a need for effective cooperation among the nations in this region. The Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) program aims to strengthen and support sustainable, collaborative approaches to managing and developing transboundary waters while reducing tensions arising from competition over natural resources. This program also aims to help governments promote climate adaptation and resilience concerning shared resources. Such cooperation can prevent conflicts over water and resources, enabling a more robust transnational and regional blue economy.
Bridging Borders
The Great Lakes connect countries, playing a crucial role in regional integration. Initiatives like the Great Lakes Trade Facilitation Project aim to facilitate cross-border trade by building capacity for commerce and reducing trade costs for small-scale farmers and fishers, particularly women. The International Development Association (IDA) has committed over $250 million to improve value chains and cross-border trade in the region, addressing food insecurity, conflict, and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) through the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVC) can provide policy guidance and platforms to support economic integration, thus improving livelihoods and economic potential in the region. The lakes serve as major transportation corridors, linking rural areas with urban centers and offering an affordable, efficient, and environmentally friendly means of transporting goods and resources.
The Great Lakes also hold significant potential for hydroelectric energy. For instance, the proposed Songwe Hydroelectric Project between Malawi and Tanzania aims to create a power plant that will add 90 MW of electricity, utilising Lake Malawi’s basin. Collaborative projects like these across the lakes and their surrounding rivers can provide sustainable energy to millions, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. Developing these resources responsibly can also contribute to the green sector and sustainable green jobs, thereby improving living standards across the region.
A Peaceful and Sustainable Future
Improved and sustainable management of the Great Lakes is essential to ensuring that future generations benefit from these resources. In a region where most people depend on water not only for survival but also as a catalyst for livelihoods, strengthening adaptation and mitigation efforts around water is crucial. Improving water cooperation and implementing sustainable practices can support biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change. For example, the Clean Shore Great Lakes Project in Tanzania focuses on addressing water pollution along the country’s lake shores. Transboundary conservation initiatives, like the Peace Parks Initiativein the Great Lakes region, aim to promote and develop protected areas, rehabilitate ecosystems, and promote eco-tourism, offering both environmental and economic benefits. The African Union’s Green Recovery Planfurther supports initiatives aimed at improving the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes region, addressing pollution, promoting sustainable fisheries, enhancing wetlands, and supporting the overall well-being of the lakes’ environment and water resources.
Conclusion
The sustainable management of the African Great Lakes, backed by strong water cooperation and cross-border initiatives, is key to securing the well-being of the region’s communities and ecosystems. The discussions and outcomes of Stockholm Water Week 2024 could be pivotal in driving forward these collaborative efforts, ensuring that the Great Lakes continue to be a source of life, livelihood, and regional harmony.
Author: Kennedy Simango
Research Analyst
