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achieving environmentally sound planning and
management of water and related resources in
the Zambezi Basin. ZACPRO 6.2 has succeeded
in establishing an enabling environment and
water resources management strategy for the
Zambezi Basin (SADCWater Division 2008).
The strategy is seen as a vital tool for
cooperative and sustainable management of
the water resources of this important basin.
Parallel to the strategy was the development of
the internet-based Zambezi Water Information
System (ZAMWIS).
The need for balancing efficiency, equity and
environmental sustainability has resonance in
southern Africa given that water has a key role in
unlocking potential for economic development.
Further, the majority of the population still needs
to gain access to safe water and sanitation, and
most people cannot afford to pay for the full cost
of water. Competition for water among sectors
IWRM seeks to achieve a balance between
economic efficiency, social equity and
environmental sustainability.
1 Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable
resource, essential to sustain life,
development and the environment.
2 Water development and management
should be based on a participatory
approach, involving users, planners and
policy-makers at all levels.
3 Women play a central role in
the provision, management and
safeguarding of water.
4 Water has an economic value for all
its competing uses and should be
recognised as an economic good.
The Dublin Principles are relevant to the
Southern African in the following context:
• The prevailing semi-arid climate and
the seasonal and temporal variability
of rainfall make freshwater a finite and
vulnerable resource in southern Africa.
• The need to involve communities and
other stakeholders in decision-making in
order to promote the sense of ownership
of a common resource that must be
managed responsibly.
• The fact that in both rural and urban
areas, women are still responsible for
household chores associated with water,
and should be given a voice in the
management decisions.
• The need to recognise that water is an
important input inmost economic activities
and comes with a cost, and is essential
to human dignity. Thus, it is an economic
good, but also and mainly, a social good,
which should be accessible to people.
Source: SADC and SARDC 2008
IWRM is based on the Rio/Dublin
Principles
should not overlook the need to protect the
environment for the benefit of future generations.
Zambezi Watercourse Commission
(ZAMCOM)
Negotiations for the Zambezi Watercourse
Commission (ZAMCOM) agreement began in
1999. Most of the Zambezi Basin states signed
the agreement in July 2004. To date seven of the
eight Basin states have signed the agreement
with the exception of Zambia, and six have
ratified the agreement. The remaining states
have shown commitment to speed up either
signing or ratification.
Through the ZAMCOM Agreement, the Zambezi
River Basin states envisage working together
to develop and manage the shared water
resources of the vast basin. The agreement is
designed to help the riparian states to unlock
the potential of the Basin in contributing to
the socio-economic development of the Basin
states and the region as a whole.
The Zambezi River Basin states have
established an Interim Secretariat for the
Zambezi Watercourse Commission. The initial
responsibility of the Secretariat is to coordinate
the riparian states and inform them of the
expected steps needing their support towards
The objective of ZAMCOM is to promote
the equitable and reasonable utilization of
the water resources of the Zambezi basin
as well as the efficient development and
management thereof.
This is a practical expression of the
intents of the SADC states to “foster closer
cooperation for judicious, sustainable and
coordinated management, protection
and utilization of shared watercourses
and advance the SADC agenda of regional
integration and poverty alleviation” as
stated in the Revised Protocol on Shared
Watercourses.
The formulation of the integrated water
resources management (IWRM) strategy for
the Zambezi Basin provides the basin states
with a vital management tool for effective
management of the shared water resources
of the basin. The Rapid Assessment of Water
Resources is an important first step in the
formulation of the IWRM strategy.
Source: ZAMCOM 2011
ZAMCOM Agreement