The management of shared river basins : experiences from SADC and EU

This document reports on the 1997 Conference on the Management of Shared River Basins, held in Maseru, Lesotho, which sought to investigate approaches for the sound and sustainable management of international waters through the exchange of ideas and experiences among European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Emphasis was placed on the political, the operational/technical and the institutional/legal aspects of sharing international watercourse systems. The first half of the report includes the four opening speeches stating the Conference?s objectives, a background paper setting out the foundations of a balanced and equitable sharing of international waters based on a fully integrated approach to the management of water resources, lessons summarized from case studies, and a list of prioritized recommendations and options for future actions. The second half presents a number of case studies of European and Southern African river basins in an attempt to identify general characteristics for the purpose of comparison. These include the Zambezi River Basin; the Rhine, Meuse and North Sea; the Incomati and Limpopo International River Basins; the Danube River Basin; and the Orange River Basin. These case studies are presented and discussed in an effort to learn from each other about ways of turning a potential source of conflict into a shared stimulus for good neighbourliness, international cooperation and regional development.