Name |
Participating countries |
Level of Collaboration |
Type of Collaboration |
Principal Issue |
Date |
Description |
|
| Congo/Zaire |
| Commission Internationale du Bassins Congo- Oubangui- Sangha (CICOS) |
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the (Brazzaville), Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa) |
Official |
Commission |
Water quality, navigation, flood control/ relief, infrastructure/ development |
November 6, 1999, effective since November 23, 2003 |
Commission Internationale du Bassins Congo-Oubangui-Sangha (CICOS). |
TFDD |
| Corubal |
| Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG: Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambie) |
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, flood control/ relief, irrigation, infrastructure/ development |
1978 |
The three principal thrusts of OMVG concern energy, food security and communications. OMVG has carried out studies which have resulted in the recommendation of four sites of potential development as hydro-electric power projects. These are at Sambangalou on the River Gambia, Fello Sounga and Saltinho on the River Koliba/Corubal and Gaoual on the River Géba. The main objective of OMVG, is to promote socio-economic integration of its members States. |
TFDD |
| Gambia |
| Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG: Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambie) |
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, flood control/relief, irrigation, infrastructure/ development |
1978 |
The three principal thrusts of OMVG concern energy, food security and communications. OMVG has carried out studies which have resulted in the recommendation of four sites of potential development as hydro-electric power projects. These are at Sambangalou on the River Gambia, Fello Sounga and Saltinho on the River Koliba/Corubal and Gaoual on the River Géba. The main objective of OMVG, is to promote socio-economic integration of its members States. |
TFDD |
| Geba |
| Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG: Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambie) |
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, flood control/relief, irrigation, infrastructure /development |
1978 |
he three principal thrusts of OMVG concern energy, food security and communications. OMVG has carried out studies which have resulted in the recommendation of four sites of potential development as hydro-electric power projects. These are at Sambangalou on the River Gambia, Fello Sounga and Saltinho on the River Koliba/Corubal and Gaoual on the River Géba. The main objective of OMVG, is to promote socio-economic integration of its members States. |
TFDD |
| Incomati |
| Tripartite Permanent Technical Commission (TPTC) |
Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
February 15,1991 |
Tripartite Permanent Technical Commission (TPTC). |
TFDD |
| Joint Water Commission (JWC) |
South Africa, Swaziland |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
March 13, 1992 |
The Joint Water Commission was established as a technical advisory commission to advise the Governments of the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of South Africa on water resources of common interest. The JWC was formed through the JWC treaty signed in 1992. There are three commissioners appointed by each Government for a period determined by each Government. The JWC monitors the activities of KOBWA on behalf of the governments of Swaziland and South Africa. |
TFDD |
| Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) |
Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1993 |
A bi-national company formed in 1993 through the treaty on the Development and Utilization of the Water Resources of the Komati River Basin signed in 1992 between the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of South Africa. The purpose of KOBWA is implement Phase 1 of the Komati River Basin Development Project. Phase 1 comprise the design, construction, operation and maintenance of Driekoppies Dam in South Africa (Phase 1a) and the Maguga Dam in Swaziland (Phase 1b). Additional party involved: Mozambique which shares the same river system and is participating through TPTC. |
|
| Kunene |
| Angola Namibian Joint Commission of Cooperation (ANJCC) |
Angola, Namibia |
Official |
Commission |
Economic development, joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1996 |
Angola Namibian Joint Commission of Cooperation (ANJCC) |
TFDD |
| Joint Operating Authority |
Angola, Namibia |
Official |
Organization |
Economic development, joint management |
Data not available |
Joint Operating Authority |
TFDD |
| Permanent Joint Technical Commission |
Angola, Namibia |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
Data not available |
Permanent Joint Technical Commission |
TFDD |
| Lake Chad |
| Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) |
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, |
Official |
Commission |
Water quality, water quantity, navigation, fishing, economic development, joint management, irrigation, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance, border issues |
May 22, 1964 |
The Commission is a Regional Government Organization, designed to manage the basin and to resolve disputes that might arise over the lake and its resources. The aims of the Commission are to regulate and control the utilization of water and other natural resources in the basin; to initiate, promote and coordinate natural resources development projects and research within the basin area; to examine complaints; and to promote the settlement of disputes, thereby promoting regional cooperation. Note: the Central African Republic joined in 1994 and Sudan was admitted as an observer by the 10th Summit held in N'Djamena in July, 2000. It will become the sixth member state after ratifying the convention and statute which created the Commission. |
|
| Basin Committee for Strategic Planning (BCSP) |
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Nigeria |
Official |
Organization |
Economic development, joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
Data not available |
Basin Committee for Strategic Planning (BCSP); created through LCBC, for local initiatives. |
TFDD |
| Limpopo |
| Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM) |
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Commission |
Economic development, joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
November 1, 2003 |
This commission was negotiated by the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. The Commission between South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is to manage the Limpopo River and must facilitate the building of capacity within the four countries to manage the water resource. |
|
| Limpopo River Basin Commission (LRC) |
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Commission |
Economic development, joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1995 |
Institutional arrangement to manage water. Operating on a river-catchment basis, rather than by national boundaries, this body provides an appropriate institutional vehicle to guide the development in the basin. |
|
| Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC) |
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Organization |
Economic development, joint management, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1986 |
In 1986, Limpopo Basin States signed in Harare, Zimbabwe, a multilateral agreement establishing a Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC), which was set up to advise the parties on issues regarding the river. The LBPTC did not however function during its first ten years. LBPTC's second meeting was held in South Africa in 1995. At the meeting, it was agreed to activate the LBPTC, which was a dead organization, and discussions concentrated on mutual interest regarding the common river. |
|
| Joint Permanent Technical Committee (JPTC) |
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Organization |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1983 |
The JPTC was established in 1983 to make recommendation on matters concerning common interest in the Limpopo. |
TFDD |
| Joint Water Commission (JWC) |
Mozambique, South Africa |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1996 |
In 1996, after South Africa's political change, the two countries signed in Mozambique, an agreement establishing a Joint Water Commission (JWC), with advisory functions on technical matters relating their common rivers, including the Limpopo. |
TFDD |
| Mana-Morro |
| Mano River Union (MRU) |
Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, |
Official |
Organization |
joint management |
October 3, 1973 |
The MRU was established in 1973 to constitute a customs and economic union between the member states in order to improve living standards. Decisions are taken at meetings of a joint ministerial committee. The governments of all three 'Mano River Union' countries recognise that their individual future prosperity depends on increasing dialogue and co-operation between them, and moves to revitalise the Mano River Union are likely to resume as soon as peace has returned to Sierra Leone and to the respective border regions of the three countries. |
|
| Niger |
| Niger Basin Authority (NBA) |
Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone |
Official |
Organization |
Water quality, hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, navigation, fishing, flood control/ relief, economic development, joint management, irrigation, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1980 |
Niger Basin Authority (NBA), formerly the Niger River Commission (RNC). The NBA is one of the oldest African Intergovernmental Organization as its creation dates back to 1964 when it was called River Niger Commission. The River Niger Commission functioned for seventeen years and the results achieved were deemed insufficient. Consequently, the member states decided to replace it with a new organization, the Niger Basin Authority which became heir to all the assets, liabilities and programs initiated by the River Niger Commission. The aim of the Niger Basin Authority is to promote cooperation among the member countries and to ensure integrated development in all fields through development of its resources. |
|
| Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Co-operation (NNJC) |
Niger, Nigeria |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, water quantity |
July 18, 1990 |
This commission was set up to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the 1990 'Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger concerning the equitable sharing in the development, conservation and use of their common water resources'. |
|
| Nile |
| Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) |
Burundi, Central African Republic, Egypt, Egypt (administered by Sudan), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa), Sudan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan (administered by Egypt). |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Economic development, joint management, other: poverty eradication |
1999 |
The NBI is a transitional mechanism that includes nine Nile riparian countries as equal members in a regional partnership to promote economic development and fight poverty throughout the Basin. The vision of the NBI is to achieve sustainable socio-economic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile Basin water resources.Within the framework of Technical Cooperation Committee for the Promotion of the Development and Environmental Protection of the Nile Basin (TECCONILE), a Nile River Basin action plan was prepared in 1995 with support from CIDA. In 1997, the World Bank agreed to a request by the Council of Ministers of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin States (Nile-COM) to lead and coordinate donor support for their activities. In 1998, recognizing that cooperative development holds the greatest prospects of bringing mutual benefits to the region, all riparians, except Eritrea, joined in a dialogue to create a regional partnership to facilitate the common pursuit of sustainable development and management of Nile waters. |
|
| Technical Cooperation Committee for the Promotion of the Development and Environmental Protection of the Nile Basin (TECCONILE) |
Burundi, Central African Republic, Egypt, Egypt (administered by Sudan), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa), Sudan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan (administered by Egypt) |
Official |
Organization and environmental program |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1993 |
Formed in an effort to focus on a development agenda. |
TFDD |
| The Permanent Joint Technical Committee (PJTC) |
Sudan, Egypt |
Official |
Committee |
Joint management, water quantity |
1959 |
Formed to preside on the application of the 'Nile Waters Treaty Agreement' of 1959. |
|
| Nile (Lake Victoria subbasin) |
| Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization |
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, |
Official |
Organization and environmental program |
Water quality, fishing, joint management |
June 30, 1994 |
Objectives: To foster co-operation amongst the Contracting Parties in matters regarding Lake Victoria; To harmonize national measures for the sustainable utilization of the living resources of the Lake; To develop and adopt conservation and management measures to assure the health of the Lake's ecosystem and the sustainability of its living resources. The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization was established by a Convention (mandate) signed on 30th June 1994, in Kisumu, Kenya by the "Contracting Parties" who consist of the Governments of the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. |
|
| The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) |
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda |
Official |
Commission |
Water quality, joint management |
June 1, 2006 |
The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) was established by the Protocol on Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin. It is the apex institution of East African Community (EAC) mandated with overall coordination. The Commission became effective in July 2005 and launched in June 2006. Previously the mandate was with the Lake Victoria Development Programme (LVDP) since 2001. It's vision is worded as follows: "A prosperous population living in a healthy and sustainably managed environment providing equitable opportunities and benefits". |
|
| Nile (Kagera subbasin) |
| Organization for the Management and Development of the Kagera River Basin |
Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda |
Official |
Organization |
Hydropower |
February 5, 1978 |
Organization for the Management and Development of the Kagera River Basin |
|
| Okavango |
| The Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission (OKACOM) |
Angola, Botswana, Namibia, |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management |
September 15, 1994 |
OKACOM is a regional, high-level committee that was formed to ensure the water resources of the Okavango River system are managed in appropriate and sustainable ways and to foster co-operation and co-ordination between the three Basin states; Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. |
|
| Joint Permanent Water Commission (JPWC) |
Botswana, Namibia |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management |
November 13, 1990 |
JPWC focus is on the bilateral management of the Okavango River and the Kwando-Chobe-Linyati reach of the Zambezi River. |
|
| Orange |
| Orange/Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) |
Botswana, Lesotho (Kingdom of), Namibia, South Africa |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management |
November 3, 2000 |
ORASECOM is the first RBO to be established in terms of the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourse Systems. The secretariat was established in 2003. |
|
| Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) |
Lesotho (Kingdom of), South Africa |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Water quantity, Hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, economic development, joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1930 |
The LHDA was set up to implement and operate that part of Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) that falls within the borders of Lesotho. |
|
| Lesotho Highlands Water Commission (LHWC) |
Lesotho (Kingdom of), South Africa |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
October 24, 1986 |
The signing of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Treaty by the Government of Lesotho and of the Republic of South Africa on the 24th October 1986 established the Joint Permanent Technical Commission (JPTC) to represent the two countries in the implementation and operation of the LHWP. The Joint Permanent Technical Commission (JPTC), was later renamed the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission (LHWC) with a secretariat in Lesotho to monitor and oversee the Treaty. |
|
| Permanent Water Commission (PWC) |
Namibia, South Africa |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1992 |
In a bilateral agreement in 1992, Namibia and South Africa established a Permanent Water Commission (PWC). PWC was to act as a technical adviser to the Parties on matters relating to the development and utilization of the Orange water resources. |
|
| Joint Irrigation Authority (JIA) |
Namibia, South Africa |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Joint management, irrigation, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1992 |
Countries signed in 1992 another agreement establishing a JIA, administering an existing irrigation scheme along the riverbanks under the auspices of the PWC. |
|
| Senegal |
| Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du bassin du fleuve Senegal (OMVS) |
Mali, Mauritania, Senegal |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Water quality, water quantity, hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, navigation, flood control/ relief, economic development, joint management, irrigation, infrastructure/ development, technical cooperation/ assistance |
March 11, 1972 |
In 1963, shortly after independence, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal signed the Bamako Convention for the Development of the Senegal River Basin that declared the Senegal River to be an
"International River" and create an "Interstate Committee" to oversee its development. In 1968, the Labe Convention created the Organisation of Boundary stares of the Senegal River (OERS - Organisation des Etats Riverains du Sénégal). In 1972 the OMVS, a river management organisation, was created replacing the OERS which broke up after the withdrawal of its fourth member, Guinea. |
|
| Volta |
| Liptako-Gourma Integrated Authority or Autorite de developpement integre de la region du Liptako-Gourma (ALG) |
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Hydro-power/ hydro-electriciy, navigation, fishing, economic development, irrigation, infrastructure/ development |
December 3, 1970 |
The ALG, a sub-regional institution has the primary mission to promote the integrated development of the Liptako-Gourma region with a view to improving the living conditions of the population. |
|
| Zambezi |
| Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) |
Angola, Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa), Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, United Republic of, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Commission |
Border issues, territorial issues |
July 13, 2004 |
Commission to manage and develop the Zambezi river's water resources. Besides managing the Zambezi's resources, the Commission, consisting of three organs - a council of ministers, a technical committee and a secretariat drawn from all eight countries - will advise member countries on planning, utilisation, protection and conservation issues around the river. Country representatives will also protect national interests in actual or potential disputes. Signing the agreement is expected to bring benefits across all sectors, including trade, industry, energy production, food security, transport and communication, tourism, regional security and peace. Additional parties involved: SADC and the ZRA. The formation of ZAMCOM as by the Watercourse protocol is part of the ongoing Project 6 of the ZACPLAN. The sixth project is considered as a key part of the ZACPLAN formulate a development strategy and simulate various development scenarios for the Basin. |
|
| Zambesi River Authority (ZRA) |
Zambia, Zimbabwe |
Official |
Organization and economic program |
Water quality, economic development, joint management, technical cooperation/ assistance |
1987 |
The Zambezi River Authority is governed by a Council of Ministers consisting of four members, two of whom are Ministers in the Government of the Republic of Zambia and two of whom are Ministers in the Government of Zimbabwe. Mission: to co-operatively manage and develop in an integrated and sustainable manner the water resources of the Zambezi River in order to supply quality water, hydrological and environmental services for the maximum socio-economic benefits to Zambia, Zimbabwe and the other Zambezi River basin countries. Promoting regional co-operation in integrated water resources management; Providing hydrological and environmental services to the entire Zambezi River countries; Efficiently, equitably and sustainably managing and operating the Kariba Complex and other future dams on the common Zambezi River. |
|
| Joint Permanent Water Commission (JPWC) |
Botswana, Namibia |
Official |
Commission |
Joint management |
November 13, 1990 |
JPWC focus is on the bilateral management of the Okavango River and the Kwando-Chobe-Linyati reach of the Zambezi River. |
|
