Abstract
When seen from outer space our world is a „Blue Planet‟, dominated by one substance: water. However, this very domination of water across the surface of our world obscures the genuine and fragile role that it plays in enabling the way we humans and the rest of the natural world exists today. An oft-cited measure is that only about 3% of all the water on planet earth is fresh water, of that 3%, only an estimated 1% is accessible in its liquid-flowing form. It is difficult to imagine that this 1% of accessible water is responsible for everything we take for granted and know; from the simplest act of drinking, keeping clean, cooking our food, growing our food, powering our industries, creating our products, giving life to the natural world and even generating our weather. Water is the foundation of life as we know it and we are slowly starting to realise its true importance and our collective impact upon it.
Globally there are 310 freshwater river basins that can be described as „Transboundary‟ or „International‟, which means that they have water resources that cross the political boundaries of two or more independent states. With the majority of the fresh water that we humans use, coming from rivers and lakes that are often part of these Transboundary River Basins; how they are managed, maintained and utilised, has a direct impact on the environment, economic activities and often the ability for humans to live and survive in many parts of the world. The African continent is a perfect example of the impact that Transboundary River Basins have on its natural and human environments. The continent is currently home to no less than 68 Transboundary River Basins and due to the legacies of colonialism and independence; almost every continental African state has water resources either crossing or acting as international boundaries. The majority of these river basins form part of the truly vast „Major Transboundary River Basins‟, 13 in total, that cover 62% of Africa‟s total land area and gradually collects the majority of water that falls and flows on the continent.
With Transboundary River Basins being a common reality on the African continental level and with an ever-growing multiplicity of demands; how African states utilise and engage with each other over transboundary water resources is a matter of growing importance. Thus, this dissertation set out to answer the question: What is the current state of water cooperation within Africa‟s Major Transboundary River Basins?