Transboundary water cooperation in the Nile Basin: generating and sharing benefits? Ana Elisa Cascão King’s College of London/ London Water Research Group DEV Seminars University of East Anglia 6th March 2009
Transcript
Transboundary water cooperation in the Nile Basin: generating
and sharing benefits? Ana Elisa Casco Kings College of London/
London Water Research Group DEV Seminars University of East Anglia
6th March 2009
Nile River Basin: Map
Nile River Basin: Overview
Nile Basin Hydropolitics SECURITISATION HYDRO-SOVEREIGNTY
COOPERATION
Uneven distribution
Inequitable utilisation
Water = Politics
Water = National Security
Water = Sovereignty
Power asymmetries
Hydro-Hegemony ( Zeitoun and Warner 2006)
Problematic water agreements
Past: conflicts
Water-Sharing: political priority
Nile Basin: From conflict to cooperation?
Nile Basin Cooperation NILE BASIN INITIATIVE (1999)
BENEFIT-SHARING PARADIGM
Benefit-Sharing Paradigm Benefits to the river Benefits from
the river Benefits because of the river Benefits beyond the river
BENEFITS OF COOPERATION Environmental Social Economic Political
Sadoff and Grey 2002, 2005 A focus on sharing the benefits derived
from the use of water, rather than the allocation of water itself,
provides far greater scope for identifying mutually beneficial
cooperative actions
Benefit & Cost Sharing Matrix Level Types of benefits
Environmental Social Economic Political Regional National Local
BENEFIT & COST SHARING MATRIX Benefits Costs/Constraints
Hydro-Sovereignty: current scenario Aswan High Dam (Egypt)
Merowe Dam (Sudan) Tekezze Dam (Ethiopia) ZERO-SUM SCENARIO
Unilateral projects: limited benefits & high costs
.
Level Types of benefits Environmental Social Economic Political
Regional National Local BENEFITS: (unilateral)
National economic/social development
Consolidated water control
Political power (national and regional levels)
Bargaining power
COSTS/CONSTRAINTS:
Unsustainable development
Environmental impacts
Inequitable utilisation and allocation
Asymmetric water control
Political conflicts
Zero-sum outcomes
Nile Basin Initiative: Joint projects with potential for
benefits
Examples
Hydropower production and trade
Watershed management
Irrigation development (upstream)
POSITIVE-SUM SCENARIO
1. Hydropower Production and Trade
Hydropower Production and Trade Level Types of benefits
Environmental Social Economic Political Regional National Local
BENEFITS:
Energy supplies
Power grid, pool and trade
Cheap electricity
Economic development
River regulation
Reduction of water losses
Sedimentation control
New water
COSTS/CONSTRAINTS:
Social and environmental externalities (regional and local
levels)
Property rights and water allocations
Water-sharing negotiations
2. Watershed Management
Watershed Management
.
Level Types of benefits Environmental Social Economic Political
Regional National Local !! BENEFITS:
Environmental services
Ecosystem protection and conservation
Flood control
Erosion and sedimentation control
Livelihoods alternatives
Improved efficiency of dams
Cost reduction
COSTS/CONSTRAINTS:
Politically unattractive
Unclear Benefit-sharing negotiations
Unclear identification of trade-offs
3. Irrigation Development (upstream)
Irrigation Development (upstream) Level Types of benefits
Environmental Social Economic Political Regional National Local
BENEFITS:
Suitable sites for irrigation
Increased water productivity
Efficient water utilisation
Watershed management
Increased food production
Regional food market and trade
Economic development
Reduce food & poverty gaps
COSTS/CONSTRAINTS:
Water abstractions
Impacts on flows downstream
Politically controverse
Propoperty rights and water allocations
Water-Sharing negotiations
Why the benefit-sharing paradigm did not work (so far) in the
Nile Basin? CONCEPTUAL REASONS Poorly understood and not coherently
developed Extremely theoretical and complex Rational and
economicist model No clear rationale POLITICAL REASONS
Water-Sharing is still the main political priority Self-interests
and sovereignty still guides political decision Poor understanding
of basin-wide management & cooperation NBI no benefits
delivered * Need to develop the concept further * Need to identify
concrete development opportunities, incentives and trade-offs *
Need to integrate BS and WS negotiations
Conclusions
Cooperation: Potential exists!
But Benefits and Positive-sum outcomes still need to be
materialised
Nile waters: Still extemely politicised
Hydro-Sovereignty mindsets remain
Water-Sharing still the priority
Benefit-Sharing alone is not the solution
Negotiations for Benefit-sharing and Water-Sharing cannot be
separated
Transboundary water cooperation in the Nile Basin: generating and
sharing benefits?