Water and Politics in Africa

Welcome back to my blog series on water and politics in Africa! In this blog, we explore the intricate world of transboundary water politics, focusing on the rivers that traverse national boundaries and serve as vital resources for multiple nations. With 60% of Africa's population living in transboundary river basins, these waterways, such as the Nile, Congo, Niger, and Zambezi, are not only lifelines but also sources of intricate disputes and the necessity for cooperative governance.

  Unraveling the Colonial Threads in Africa's Water Politics The ' Scramble for Africa ', a defining period of European imperialism, left indelible marks on the continent's water politics. From 1880 to 1914, European powers partitioned almost 90% of Africa, looking at Figure 1, from 10% of Africa being colonised to 90% in 1913 , significantly altering its hydro-political landscape. This era, epitomised by the 1884 Berlin Conference, set the stage for enduring geopolitical and resource-related tensions. In this blog, I'll explore how Africa's colonial past continues to shape its present water governance, dissecting the complex interplay of historical influences and current water challenges across the continent.  Figure 1.   The Transformation of Africa during the Scramble (1880-1913) Legacy of Colonialism: The Urban-Rural Divide in Water Access Colonialism's legacy has been significant for Africa in many aspects, looking at Figure 2 , the railway in South Af...

Welcome to my inaugural blog post about water and politics in Africa! Please join my journey of delving into multiple case studies in this fascinating continent Africa in the coming months.