EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background 1. The water resources of the SADC region are vital for sustainable economic and social development of the region. Apart from sustaining a rich diversity of natural ecosystems, the region‟s water resources are critical for meeting the basic needs related to water supplies for domestic and industrial requirements, and for sanitation and waste management for about 200 million people. In addition, there is a need for increasing food security through better management of rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, aquaculture, and livestock production; and improving access and availability of cheap energy through hydropower. Despite the importance of water in the region there is, presently, no long-term policy and strategy for the development and management of the region‟s water resources, and in particular the management of transboundary watercourse systems. 2. The SADC region has 15 major river basins which are transboundary or watercourses shared by two or more countries. They range from the large Congo River Basin (3,800,000 square kilometres), the Zambezi River Basin (1,400,000 square kilometres covering eight SADC Member States) to the Umbeluzi River Basin (5,500 square kilometres) shared by only two countries. Thus one of the characteristic features in the region is shared watercourse systems, with complex water rights and potential conflicts over utilization of the shared resources. This common heritage also presents tremendous opportunities for cooperation in managing the shared resources for regional economic development and regional integration. 3. Since the mid 1990s SADC Member States have engaged in wide ranging and intense consultations on development of the water sector in the region. This has brought about a heightened awareness of the importance of water for socio-economic development, regional integration and poverty reduction. However there are a number of institutional, technical, economic, social and environmental factors which, to one degree or another, still constrain effective management1 of the region‟s water resources. These include: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Weak legal and regulatory framework. Inadequate institutional capacities of national water authorities, and regional or river basin organizations. Weak policy framework for sustainable development of national water resources. Poor information acquisition, management and dissemination systems. Low levels of awareness, education and training with respect to economic, social, environmental and political issues related to water resources development and management. 1 The word “Management” in “Water Resources Management” includes the developmental aspects of water resources. This definition is in line with that of the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses, and it is also consistent with the definition adopted by African Development Bank and Global Water Partnership (GWP). As a way of emphasising the importance of development in the SADC region, the word “development” is also used together with the word “management” -v-