Côte d’Ivoire Joins UN Water Convention to Enhance Transboundary Water Cooperation

The country is the 10th African nation to join the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, commonly known as the UN Water Convention.

Côte d’Ivoire has become the 53rd Party to the United Nations Water Convention, a significant step in improving joint water management across borders amidst increasing water stress and climate change impacts. The country is the 10th African nation to join the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, commonly known as the UN Water Convention. This move underscores the growing momentum for water cooperation in Africa, where over 90% of water resources span 63 transboundary basins shared by multiple countries.

“Côte d’Ivoire’s accession is a milestone for multilateralism and reaffirms the role of the UN Water Convention as a tool to support water cooperation for peace, sustainable development, and climate change adaptation across borders. I encourage all countries worldwide to join this proven instrument for water diplomacy, and I reconfirm our commitment to support them in this process,” said Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of UNECE, which services the UN Water Convention.

“The accession of Côte d’Ivoire to the UN Water Convention will support relations with countries with which we share water resources. As defenders of water in the context of the United Nations, we must use transboundary cooperation to reinforce peace and promote harmonious and sustainable development in our countries,” stated Laurent Tchagba, Minister of Water and Forests of Côte d’Ivoire.

Côte d’Ivoire, the 9th largest economy in Africa and the 5th fastest-growing on the continent, shares eight transboundary river basins with its neighbors, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The country's water resources are under threat from urbanization, climate change, and pollution, making cooperation vital. With a population growing at 2.5% annually, meeting water needs poses significant challenges, exacerbated by uneven water distribution and areas of water stress in the north and north-east.

According to the last Sustainable Development Goals indicator 6.5.2 report, only 25% of Côte d'Ivoire's transboundary basin area is covered by operational arrangements, and none of its transboundary aquifers are covered.

Since the global opening of the treaty to all UN Member States in 2016, several African nations, including Chad, Senegal, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, and Cameroon, have joined. In 2023, Nigeria, Namibia, and The Gambia also acceded, with Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone in the final stages of accession. The accession of Côte d’Ivoire means that the four largest economies of West Africa—Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire—are now Parties to the Water Convention.

The upcoming 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, to be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is expected to further drive this momentum.

“In the context of increasing water scarcity and high demand for water in Africa, Côte d’Ivoire's accession as the 10th African Party to the 1992 Water Convention is a significant step for the continent. The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will continue to work in partnership with UNECE to promote transboundary water cooperation to address climate change impacts and reduce conflict risks, fostering an environment conducive to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063,” said Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of ECA.

Reinforcing transboundary cooperation is essential for developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies. Such strategies are crucial to mitigate risks related to flooding, drought, and other climate-related events, which cost African countries between 2% and 9% of their GDP.

According to the African Development Bank, one in three people in Africa faces water insecurity, with only 58% of Africans having access to safely managed drinking water services and 72% lacking basic sanitation services. However, water also has immense transformational potential, as less than 5% of cultivated land is currently irrigated, and only 10% of hydroelectric potential is utilized.

With Sub-Saharan Africa’s population expected to double by 2050 and climate change impacts set to intensify, strengthening cooperation across borders is crucial. Africa, alongside Europe, has high levels of water cooperation, evidenced by established joint bodies managing transboundary rivers and lakes, such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Niger Basin Authority, and the Volta Basin Authority. Joining the UN Water Convention further strengthens this cooperation.

The latest data for Sustainable Development Goals indicator 6.5.2 shows that one-third of sub-Saharan countries sharing transboundary waters have 90% or more of their transboundary basin areas covered by operational arrangements.

The Water Convention requires Parties to prevent, control, and reduce negative impacts on water quality and quantity across borders, use shared waters reasonably and equitably, and ensure their sustainable management through cooperation. Countries sharing the same transboundary waters must cooperate by concluding specific agreements and establishing joint bodies.

In addition to surface water, the Water Convention helps countries collaborate on groundwater reserves, crucial for climate change adaptation. 40% of Africa lies on transboundary aquifers, home to 33% of the continent's population. The Convention has supported pioneering cooperation on the Senegal-Mauritania Aquifer Basin, leading to the establishment of a joint body by The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal.

To ensure effective transboundary water management, the Water Convention supports new Parties in developing national implementation plans. Following multistakeholder processes, countries like Togo, Senegal, and Ghana have begun using their plans to mobilize resources for implementation. Chad has recently validated its plan, and Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Cameroon are expected to follow.