Cross-Border Water Resources Management in the Horn of Africa:

Cross-border water resources management in the Horn of Africa: Regional, transboundary, and national frameworks for cooperation This brief is part of a series of knowledge briefs on “Cross-border water resources management in the Horn of Africa”: 1. [...] The work supports the UN’s five-year Comprehensive Regional Prevention Strategy for the Horn of Africa (2019- 2023), in particular Pillar 4 on sustainable natural resources development and climate resilience. [...] The Policy is based on modern principles of transboundary water resources management, including the key tenants of the Water Convention.2 The Policy considers surface and groundwater in an integrated manner. [...] Institutional capacity within IGAD to facilitate negotiations on the Protocol, and generally advance transboundary water management in the region, is relatively low, and this needs to be addressed. [...] One element in the Policy is to develop a regional institutional framework for water resources management, and this has not progressed. [...] The integrated nature of water resources management across sectors is recognised and prioritised, including the water-food-energy nexus. 3. [...] In the remaining six basins, there has been very little progress in developing basin-wide frameworks. Nevertheless, there have been a number of bilateral MoUs between countries, as well as some more local cross-border initiatives, with some links to water and natural resources management. [...] For example, in Uganda, the Joint Water and Environment Sector Support Programme (2018-2023) has “International and transboundary water resources management as one of five key components, and has three key output indicators to monitor progress on this component. [...] There is scope to engage with UN Country Teams, to discuss how consideration of water resources management in a more cross-border context could support both national development objectives and regional peace and security. [...] Undertake a ‘benefit assessment’ to identify, assess and communicate the benefits of transboundary water cooperation for the Horn of Africa, as well as prioritized basins and aquifers. 2.