1. NPT: Ethiopia, IRBM course Module
Chapter 5: Governance Issues (Policy/Institutions)
5.3 Trans-boundary issues
By: Habtamu T
August, 2011

2. 3. Trans-boundary issues

3. 2.1 Introduction
hydrological interdependence provides a rationale for co-operation
However, it is becoming one of the internatioanal challenge
allocation between upstream and downstream users continues to be constrained by:
lack of adequate data and uncertainties on future availability because of global climate change,
lack of mutually agreeable water sharing mechanisms which encourage self-centred resource use practices

4. 3.2 The challenges transboundary River basin management
Is a special type of IRBM
High complexity due to:
multi-purposes and basin-wide, and involves many more actors
it deal with increasing rates of human-induced change and increasing concerns about it
differences in legal frameworks, historical and cultural backgrounds, and technical capabilities
upstream-downstream conflicts

5. many international agreements simply reflect the commonalities in the national policies of the states concerned or are very procedural and vague.
Nile River Basin (Mason, 2005)

6. The Mekong profile (MRC,2009)

7. Overview of international conferences relevant to freshwater resources
A large number of international conferences on water has taken place in the past few decades, for instance:
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972)
United Nations Water Conference (1977)
Global Consultation on Safe Water and Sanitation for the 1990s (1990)
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992)  Agenda 21
Expert Meeting on Strategic Approaches to Freshwater Management (1998)

8. New elements / emphasis
Name of the conference
Place, date
New elements / emphasis
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
Stockholm, 1972
First global conference on the environment
Water is a side issue
United Nations Water Conference
Mar del Plata, 1977
First global conference on freshwater
Emphasis on dev’t, agriculture drinking water & sanitation
Global Consultation on Safe Water and Sanitation for the 1990s
New Delhi, 1990
Drinking water and sanitation
Attention to financing, integrated management of water resources, institutional aspects and role of women
International Conference on Water and the Environment
Dublin, 1992
Preparation of the Rio Conference
Sustainability is a key issue.
Four principles: freshwater is a finite & vulnerable resource, participatory approach, the role of women, water as an economic & social good
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
Rio de Janeiro,
1992
The Dublin principles are reconfirmed
Protection of ecosystems.
Need for integrated planning and management on the river basin scale is emphasised
Development of strategies & action programs for transboundary waters.
Improved co-ordination between global organizations and programmes.

9. Ministerial Conference on Drinking Water & Env’tal Sanitation
Noordwijk, 1994
Drinking water and sanitation
Partnerships between stakeholders
Change behaviour patterns
Technical innovations
United Nations General Assembly
Special Session
New York, 1997
Evaluation of the implementation of Agenda 21
River basin management
Information management
Emphasised the need for concrete actions and (financial) commitment of states
Decided to hold a dialogue under auspices of the CSD
Expert Meeting on Strategic Approaches to Freshwater Management
Harare, January
1998
Advice of the inter-sessional ad hoc working group of the CSD and CSD VI
International co-operation
Mainly a repetition / rehearsing of already formulated adopted principles
Ad hoc Inter-sessional Working Group on Strategic Approaches to Freshwater Mg’t
New York,
February 1998
Specific attention to information on policy, institutions, capacity building, participation, technology transfer and co-operation in research, financial resources and mechanisms

10. Cooperation for Transboundary Water Management
Petersburg (Bonn),
March 1998
Transboundary water management
Emphasis on regional co-operation, river basin organizations, political commitment, and mutual trust.
International Conference on Water and Sustainable Development
Paris, March 1998.
Little news on principles and points of departure.
Decided on the development of an "agreed statement of
principles“
"Programme of priority actions"
Commission on Sustainable
Development, Sixth Session
New York, April
1998
Governments are encouraged to co-operate on transboundary water resources and set up river basin institutions.
Governments may report to the CSD on a voluntary basis
The importance of UN organizations is underlined, including the need for a more transparent way of working and more co-ordination within the UN

11. 3.3 The Watercourses Convention and alternatives
Important issues:
International basins and the global level
The Watercourses Convention
A flexible regional framework
Compliance regimes

12. important steps towards the codification and development of international water management law have been taken, mainly at the regional and - in some cases at the river basin level.
 At the global level the normative system for the management of international river basins focuses on the discretion of states and their sovereignty, rather than on their particular responsibilities in the process towards attaining sustainable water management.

13. international river basins constitute about 47% of the earth’s land area,
objectives and actions to be taken for managing international river basins are now agreed upon and clearly defined (this have been clearly observed from recently coming up international treaties);
“Trans boundary water resources and their use are of great importance to riparian States. In this connection, cooperation among those States may be desirable in conformity with existing agreements and/or relevant arrangements, taking into account the interests of all riparian States” (Chapter 18 of Agenda 21)

14. Thank you! harvesting rate << regeneration capacity
waste emissions << assimilative capacity