Ministers responsible for Water Affairs from the Republics of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have recommitted their support to deepening transboundary cooperation in the Limpopo River Basin.
During the biannual meeting by the four Member States held recently in Musina, Limpopo, the Ministers, who are all members of the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM), signed an endorsement agreement to make amendments to the existing transboundary agreement of LIMCOM on the shared water basin.
READ | SA, Zimbabwe to sign agreement for treated water transfer to Musina
The Department of Water and Sanitation has been a member of LIMCOM since the Commission was established between the Republics of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe through the LIMCOM Agreement signed in November 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique.
Article 3.1 of the LIMCOM Agreement (Agreement 2003), stipulates that the objective of the Commission is to “advise the Contracting Parties and provide recommendations on the uses of the Limpopo River, its tributaries and its waters for purposes and measures of protection, preservation and management of the Limpopo River”.
With respect to the Commission’s institutional arrangements to deliver its mandate, the 2003 Agreement, under Article 4, stipulates that the principal organ of the Commission is the Council composed of not more than three delegates per country, with the mandate to establish the Secretariat and any other organ as may be necessary.
However, the Commission recognised that Article 4 of the LIMCOM Agreement signed in 2003 did not include the Council of Ministers as the principal organ of decision making.
As a result, the formalisation of the Council of Ministers as the main policy body will improve the governance structure of LIMCOM and its Secretariat, and also foster closer cooperation for judicious, sustainable and coordinated management, protection and utilisation of shared watercourses. This is in line with the 2000 Revised Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Shared Watercourses.
South Africa’s Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, said it was necessary to include the Ministers so that they execute the mandate regarding the management of the Limpopo River Basin.
Mchunu said the amendment of the agreement will strengthen South Africa’s relations with the three riparian States which share the Limpopo River Basin and use water from the river to support various socio-economic activities.
“We are looking forward to execute the mandates given to us by the people through LIMCOM and we hope that Southern Africa will look at their rivers as assets which are instrumental in developing socio-economic activities including agriculture, tourism, energy generation as well as for domestic use,” Mchunu said.
Located in Southern Africa, the Limpopo River Basin encompassing portions of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The basin faces a number of challenges, especially water scarcity.
In South Africa, there are four Water Management Areas (WMA) found in the Limpopo River Basin, and these include Limpopo WMA, Luvuvhu and Letaba WMA, Olifants WMA and Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA.
However, there is an increasing demand for water to meet the needs of the population and the key economic sectors while faced with limited, if not dwindling, water resources.
The four Ministers also launched the “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa, in partnership with the Global Water Partnership-Southern Africa (GWPSA).
The project aims to achieve integrated, cross sectoral, ecosystem-based management of the Limpopo River and to uplift the living standards of the basin’s population and conserve the basin’s resources and ecosystems services.
The project implementation is guided by the LIMCOM Agreement and the principles which are contained in the Revised SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses of 2000.
The principles include sustainable utilisation; equitable and reasonable utilisation; protection, preservation, and conservation of the environment; and prevention and mitigation of significant harm.
“These principles shall be interpreted according to the provisions of Article 3 of the SADC Protocol and developed in accordance with the best international practices.
“Furthermore, in the implementation of this project, the Governments of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe commit themselves to uphold the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development,” Mchunu said. – SAnews.gov.za
B@D B0Y
Fun South African Fact: Lions, elephants and giraffes may not roam the city streets, but nature and animals are never too far away in South Africa. From vervet monkeys swinging through tree-lined streets in the suburbs and baboons frolicking around Cape Point to seals visiting the Hout Bay harbour in search of a fishy snack and an array of bird species taking to the sky at any given moment. Wildlife is all around!
Tall Sally
Voetsek! – Go away! [foot-sak] Usually said with an angry tone when telling someone to go away or get lost. You don’t want to be saying this to a local or worse, if a local says this to you – you’ve really angered them!