tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa land series TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER BASINS Introduction The topic of transboundary waters clearly illustrates the necessity to address West Africa beyond the limits of regional integration organisations. The three largest river basins1 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Niger, the Lake Chad and the Senegal, map out a geographical situation in which Mauritania, Chad and Cameroon stand together with institutional West Africa. However, this de facto regional solidarity is not exclusive as southeast Cameroon depends on the immense Congo Basin that irrigates Central Africa (see Map 1). Hence, the term “West Africa” here refers to the region covering the Economic Community of West African States, Cameroon, Chad and Mauritania. These 18 countries cover an area of 7,800,000 km2 and had a total population of 290 million inhabitants in 2005. The Atlas on Regional Integra- tion is an ECOWAS — SWAC/ OECD initiative, financed by the develop­ment co-op­eration Map­ 1. West African River Basins agencies of France, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Divided into four series (p­op­ulation, land, economy, environment), the Atlas chap­ters are being p­ro- For various reasons duced during 2006-2007 and will and at various levels, be available on-line on the site Mauritania www.atlas-westafrica.org West African countries Senegal are dependent on one Basin Niger Chad another. Over the past Basin Chad 1. A river basin or a hydrologic few decades, this basin is part of inland territory Basin where all surface water flows interdependence has ECOWAS / CEDEAO towards the same outlet (watercourse or lake). The line not only generated separating two river basins is known as “the water divide”. tension, but has also Cameroon Congo led to a dialogue and Basin © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 cooperation process. CSAO SWAC ECOWAS-SWAC/OECD©2006 - August 2006 tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa An analysis of these regional cooperation processes is the main issue addressed in this chapter of the Atlas. It is by developing these processes that the region will be better Figure 1. Availability of Renewable Fresh Water in prepared for the future in which West African Countries in 2003 many people believe water will be Annual m³ per capita one of the major stakes. 70 000 World consumption of fresh water today is about 5,500 km3 60 000 per year (the equivalent of a cube 50 000 18 km long on each side); it was 4 times less a half century ago. 40 000 Consumption increases more rapidly than population for three 30 000 main reasons. On the one hand, 20 000 agriculture alone accounts for nearly 60% of consumption and it 10 000 1,700 m³ : international scarcity standard is increasing steadily everywhere, 0 including in most developing Mali Niger Togo Benin countries. On the global average, Nigeria Ghana Chad Guinea Liberia Cape Verde Senegal Mauritania The Gambia Cameroon Burkina Faso Côte d'Ivoire Sierra Leone to produce one kilogram of Guinée Bissau Source: FAO-Aquastat wheat requires about 1,000 litres of water; one kilogram of meat requires 5 to 10 times more. On the other hand, industrial consumption also continues to increase rapidly. Lastly, human consumption (drinking water and sanitation) is increasing very rapidly as a result of the constant improvement of living conditions in the world. All experts agree that pressure on resources will be incomparably higher in 20 years than it is today. This will also be true in Africa, and West Africa in particular. The necessary and probable improvement of living conditions of the West African population, the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, as well as agricultural growth and industrial development all imply a significant increase in water consumption. I. Regional Water Resources Interdep­endence Figure 2. River Basins: Interdep­endence and Dep­endence Contrary to popular belief, West African countries, including those of the Sahel, do not lack water. Only two countries (Cape Verde and Burkina Faso) are below the international standard for water scarcity (1,700 m3 of renewable fresh water per year per person); Cape Verde is below the scarcity level which is 1,000 m3 per year (see Figure 1). On the other hand, there are major problems in terms of availability at the desired time and place. This problem of availability is mainly regional considering most of the water resources come from the transboundary river basins and aquifers. land series Map­ 2. West African Bio-climatic Zones Rainfall per year 0 to 100 mm 100 to 200 mm 200 to 500 mm 500 to 1000 mm 0 200 400 km > 1000 mm Source : ESRI , Global GIS Produced by : M. Niasse , C. Mbow (2006) © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 The main watercourses (The Niger, The Senegal, The Gambia, and the Lake Chad network) take their source in well-watered regions before crossing the Sahel zones where Dependance Ratio Land percentage in a transboundary basin there has been a chronic shortage Mauritania of rainfall since the early 1970s. Niger Reducing the marked contrasts Chad between the wetlands and arid The Gambia areas (see Map 2), these transfers Benin still show the interdependence of Guinea Bissau West African countries for the use Ghana and management of fresh water Mali Figure 2. River Basins: resources. Interdep­endence and Dep­endence Senegal West Africa has 28 transboundary Nigeria river basins (see Map 3). The most Togo important are the Niger River Basin Liberia (shared between 11 countries Côte d'Ivoire taking into account the non-active Cameroon Sierra Leone part of the basin), the Senegal River Guinea Basin (4 countries), the Volta River Burkina Faso Basin (6 countries), the Lake Chad Cape Verde Basin (8 countries), and the Comoé 0 20 40 60 80 100 % River Basin (4 countries). Source: M. Niasse (2005) tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa With the exception of Cape Verde, each West African country shares at least one watercourse with one of its neighbours. Fourteen transboundary basins are identified in Guinea where a large number of watercourses rise. There are eight in Côte d’Ivoire, seven in Cameroon and Liberia, and five in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. In all, the transboundary basins cover 71% of the total surface area of the region. Map­ 3. Transboundary Watercourses in West Africa Atui Senegal Niger Gambia Lake Chad Geba Corubal Volta Great scarcies Little Komoe scarcies Ouémé Moa Cross Mana Morro Loffa Mono St Paul Cestos Bia Tano Akpa Yafi St John Sassandra Cavally 0 200 400 Source : ESRI, Global GIS, WHY MAP Produced by : M. Niasse, C. Mbow (2006) © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 Therefore, many countries have very high dependency ratios; the dependency ratio being determined by the proportion of renewable water resources produced outside the borders of a given country (see Figure 2). However, there is no correlation between the dependency and the proportion of national territory covered by transboundary basins. With a dependency ratio close to 100%, only 20% of Mauritania’s territory is covered by a transboundary basin. Contrarily, Burkina Faso “produces” all of its fresh water whereas 100 per cent of its territory is covered by transboundary basins. The configuration of groundwater also portrays an important regional dimension. These resources are in the form of various types of water tables. On one hand, they are superficial water tables which are refilled, generally during the rainy season, and on the other hand, they are water land series tables from an ancient base, and lastly they are deep water tables of sedimentary basins. There are considerable reserves of fresh water stored in these deep water tables: on a scale of approximately several thousand billions of m3. In theory, they alone could meet the current and future needs of West Africa. However, they are of variable depths, sometimes reaching one thousand to two thousand metres and are often non-renewable resources (fossil water). According to ongoing studies within the framework of the UNESCO-ISARM Initiative2, there are eleven (11) sedimentary transboundary basins in West Africa (see Map 4). 2. Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management Project. 3. Global Water Partnership- West Africa. 2000. Water for II. Generally Under-Exp­loited Resources the 21st century – From vision to Action for West Africa. 3 GWP- West Africa. pp.17-19. According to the Global Water Partnership , the withdrawal level of 4. Source: http://www.fao.org/ ag/agl/aglw/aquastat/dbase/ renewable water resources in West Africa (excluding Cameroon and Chad) index.stm 3 3 Atui is currently at 11 billion m per year for an available 1,300 billion m , which is less than 1%. Agriculture uses 75% of these withdrawals, domestic consumption 17%, and industry 7%. Although it is by far the highest in proportion, agricultural use of Senegal Niger water resources is low. Out of the 75.5 million hectares of arable land Gambia in West Africa, only 1.2% (917,000 ha) is developed for irrigation, and Lake Chad 0.8% (635,000 ha) is used effectively4. The small number of dams also Geba helps explain the lack of capitalisation of these resources. However, by Volta Corubal storing fresh water during seasons and years of excess for when needed, Great dams are effective tools in combating uncertainties and shortages. They scarcies also help produce electric power, and reduce energy dependence on Komoe Little petroleum. However, building many of these infrastructures poses a scarcies Ouémé Moa number of problems. Cross Mana Morro Map­ 4. Main Transboundary Aquifer Systems in West Africa Loffa Mono St Paul Cestos Bia Tano Akpa Yafi St John Sassandra Cavally 0 200 400 Mourzouk- Djado Source : ESRI, Global GIS, WHY MAP Produced by : M.