2023 UN Water Conference - Side Event - Sharing Water in Fragile Contexts: Lessons from the Sahel
The 2023 UN Water Conference side event "Sharing Water in Fragile Contexts: Lessons from the Sahel" recording video can be accessed below:
The Follow-up to the United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028 document can be found below.
Context
Water is a vital resource that can both foster cooperation and trigger tensions and conflicts. In water-stressed settings, access to water is key to enable productive activities and land uses. Despite the security crisis in the Sahel, some institutions led the way to reinforce cohesion using water cooperation, at interstate, intersectoral or intercommunal levels. The Senegal River Basin Development Organization is recognized globally as a model that implements the principle of shared benefit in a way that both addresses critical infrastructure gaps and promotes peace and diplomacy among the four riparian states. Similarly, the Niger High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace pioneered an approach to seal local peace agreements among rival communities by incentivizing water cooperation in fragile zones.
General objective of the event
The main objective of the event is to promote bottom-up approaches and encourage incentives for water cooperation in vulnerable areas. This is essential for fostering lasting peace and sustainable development.
Partenaires
- Senegal
- Suisse
- Mission de l'Union Africaine Africaine pour le Mali et le Sahel (MISAHEL)
- Geneva Water Hub
- ICRC
- Interpeace
- IPAR
- Niger High Authority for Peacebuilding (HACP, Niger)
- Pôle Eau Dakar (Sénégal)
- Réseau Africain des Organismes de Bassin (RAOB/ANBO)
- Senegal River Basin Development Orgnisation (OMVS)
- World Bank / CIWA
Reference documents
- "Enjeux émergents de gestion des eaux partagées en Afrique: Comprendre pour prévenir les conflits et renforcer la coopération pour le développement durable et la paix.", Pôle Eau Dakar (2022)
- "Strengthening Regional Water Security for Greater Resilience in the G5 Sahel.", World Bank/CIWA (2021)
- "World Bank Engagement in Transboundary Waters in West Africa Retrospective and Lessons Learned.", World Bank/CIWA (2021)
- "Nord-Tillabéri : analyse du conflit lié à l’accès aux ressources naturelles. Le transfrontalier au coeur de l’analyse et de l’action.", H.M. et Gatelier, K. (2017), Modus Operandi/HACP.
- "Gouvernance des espaces et ressources naturelles en Afrique : quelles solutions ?" in Les Actes du 6e Forum international sur la paix et la sécurité en Afrique.", Ministère des Affaires étrangères et des Sénégalais de l’extérieur (2019)
- "Appropriation locale dans les processus de paix : conclusions d’une consultation mondiale en ligne.", Peace Direct (2021), https://principlesforpeace.org
- “Joining Forces to Combat Protracted Crises: Humanitarian and Development Support for Water Supply and Sanitation Providers in the Middle East and North Africa.”, World Bank, ICRC, and UNICEF 2021
- "Les stratégies de financements liées à l’eau dans la région du Liptako-Gourma: les enjeux de la coopération entre l'humanitaire, le développement et la paix.", Geneva Water Hub (2022)
- "Ebb and Flow: Water, Migration, and Development.", World Bank (2021)
- "Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace. (2017). A Matter of Survival (Report)." Geneva Water Hub
The event flyer is available below.