A case study: The approach to the integrated and cooperative management of the water resources of the Maputo River Basin by Moambique, Swaziland and South Africa

Abstract

The Maputo River basin, has its headwaters in South Africa, covers a very significant part of Swaziland and flows into the ndian Ocean, south of Maputo, in Moambique. The Governments of Moambique, South Africa and Swaziland have been collaborating in the exchange of information, agreements on sharing of water, and joint studies since the early 1980s. The Tripartite Permanent Technical Committee (TPTC), responsible for providing advice to the three watercourse States, was established in 1983. In 2002 the Interim IncoMaputo Agreement was signed and identified that a "Comprehensive Agreement" is required in order for the states to collaborate in the equitable utilisation, management, development and protection of the shared watercourses. This paper describes the approach followed and the "Joint Maputo River Basin Studies" (JMRBS), which is being undertaken to establish the Comprehensive Agreement. The "Scoping Study", completed in 2005, identified, collected and reviewed the available data for the catchment, and recommended the scope and level of detail for the Integrated Comprehensive Study of the Water Resources of the Maputo River Basin. The Assessment of Water Resources and Related Social and Economic Aspects of the JMRBS are currently underway. The objectives are to develop and model the socio-economics and water resources of the catchment to enable Integrated Water Resources Management Scenarios (IWRMS) to be proposed. It will support the three countries in their efforts to reach agreement on: sustainable development, alignment of objectives, coordination of management, sharing of benefits of the resources, while respecting the sovereignty of each country regarding its policies and subjects. © 2008 WIT Press.