Battles on the River

This post will be exploring the conflicts that arise from the transboundary Okavango River as states try to develop but are restricted due to challenges with water security.

There are several factors and projects that are points of contention in the area. One reason is the unequal distribution of water. Angola receives 94.5% of river flow whilst Namibia and Botswana receives around 3% this means to prevent a conflict Angola would need to ensure their water usage does not limit other riparians. Moreover, as Namibia and Botswana experience regular drought and are some of the driest states in Africa the river is vital for their survival. Botswana’s economy is reliant on tourism based around the delta which also supports the plants and animals that over 500,000 depend on and argues that it loses 97% of its water to evaporation. During the rainy period Angola receives triple the amount of precipitation Botswana does and this rainfall can take more than four months to reach the delta -given that it does not bypass the region. In Namibia the river supports employment through supporting the local ecosystem.

Tourism is a key industry in the Okavango delta, Botswana (source: MissQuinn)

The dependence of the downstream nations on the upstream riparian to use the river responsibly has led to the proposals of schemes that ensure a steady water supply. For example, Namibia built a canal and wishes to build a pipe that will divert water into the nation to stabilise water supply during droughts but this will have negative impact on local biodiversity , it also wished to build a dam but this was cancelled due to protests from the Botswana tourism industry . International organisations have tried to run projects to aid development (food production, irrigation and dams, employment opportunities, improve utilisation resources) but the affect these projects have on the river and what it means to riparians were not addressed. Another water-related conflict is that of riverine island disputes which may also cause political tension between states.

A drip irrigation farm in the region (source: Okavango Properties)

For years regions used the river however they wanted but as populations and awareness of the upstream-downstream relationship grew this would no longer work. Thus to address challenges in development and water security for all riparian states an integrated rive management scheme was needed – enter OKACOM.