5.2 River Basin Organisations
47
5.2.2 Distribution of River Basin Organisations
A recent mapping of basin organisations by Suzanne Schmeier identified 119 RBOs
worldwide, covering 116 shared river basins.
1 The vast majority of international
watercourses with an RBO are shared by two riparian countries only (49 out of 116).
47 of the total 119 RBOs do not provide full geographical coverage, i.e. one or more
riparian states with a share of more than 1% of the catchment area are excluded
from institutionalised cooperation. Such non-inclusive RBOs can be found all over
the world, from the Aral Sea through the Ganges, Incomati to the Mekong basins
(Schmeier 2013).
River basin organisations are distributed unevenly across the world. Europe not
only has the highest number of international river basins, it also boasts the highest
number of basin organisations (20) accounting for 40% of all transboundary basins
subject to an RBO (Schmeier 2013).
Africa has 36 RBOs that cover some 35% of all international river basins. The most
comprehensive network of RBOs in the continent has been set up in the South African
Development Community under the auspices of the SADC Revised Protocol that
foresees the adoption of basin agreements and the creation of basin organisations (see
Sect. 4.2.3). Today, the 15 transboundary watercourses of the SADC are governed
by 12 basin commissions or authorities, all at different stages of development and
capacity.
2 A number of basins outside the SADC region also have institutionalised
transboundary water management: the Senegal, the Niger or the Chad basins are wellknown examples of institutionalised transboundary management. Yet, important gaps
remain in Africa, in particular in the Nile basin where the fundamental tensions among
upstream and downstream riparian states hinder the establishment of a comprehensive
RBO. Also, a recent analysis of the subject show that the impressive presence of
RBOs in the continent is not matched with efficient delivery capacities, especially
where the establishment of river commission was the result of donor pressure rather
than the cooperative spirit of riparian states (Merrey 2009).
North America only has two major RBOs but they practically cover all (95%)
transboundary waters. The US-Canada International Joint Commission (IJC) was
established by the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty. Despite its relatively soft mandate, the operation of the IJC is largely regarded as a success (Norman et al. 2015).
The predecessor of today’s US-Mexico International and Boundary Water Commission (IBWC) was established in 1889. The statutory status of the IBWC is stronger
than that of the IJC in so far as it adopts decisions that are binding on their respective governments. The successful operation of the IBWC is considered as a token
of the commitment of the two countries to stable cooperative transboundary water
management in a predominantly arid area suffering from severe water problems
(Neir et al. 2009).
1 Such virtual discrepancies are due to the fact that some river basins have more than one basin
organisations (e.g. Rhine, Danube), on the other hand there a number of RBOs that govern more
than one international river (e.g. the International Joint Commission between the US and Canada).
2 http://www.sadc.int/themes/natural-resources/water/ (accessed 2 May 2018).
47
5.2.2 Distribution of River Basin Organisations
A recent mapping of basin organisations by Suzanne Schmeier identified 119 RBOs
worldwide, covering 116 shared river basins.
1 The vast majority of international
watercourses with an RBO are shared by two riparian countries only (49 out of 116).
47 of the total 119 RBOs do not provide full geographical coverage, i.e. one or more
riparian states with a share of more than 1% of the catchment area are excluded
from institutionalised cooperation. Such non-inclusive RBOs can be found all over
the world, from the Aral Sea through the Ganges, Incomati to the Mekong basins
(Schmeier 2013).
River basin organisations are distributed unevenly across the world. Europe not
only has the highest number of international river basins, it also boasts the highest
number of basin organisations (20) accounting for 40% of all transboundary basins
subject to an RBO (Schmeier 2013).
Africa has 36 RBOs that cover some 35% of all international river basins. The most
comprehensive network of RBOs in the continent has been set up in the South African
Development Community under the auspices of the SADC Revised Protocol that
foresees the adoption of basin agreements and the creation of basin organisations (see
Sect. 4.2.3). Today, the 15 transboundary watercourses of the SADC are governed
by 12 basin commissions or authorities, all at different stages of development and
capacity.
2 A number of basins outside the SADC region also have institutionalised
transboundary water management: the Senegal, the Niger or the Chad basins are wellknown examples of institutionalised transboundary management. Yet, important gaps
remain in Africa, in particular in the Nile basin where the fundamental tensions among
upstream and downstream riparian states hinder the establishment of a comprehensive
RBO. Also, a recent analysis of the subject show that the impressive presence of
RBOs in the continent is not matched with efficient delivery capacities, especially
where the establishment of river commission was the result of donor pressure rather
than the cooperative spirit of riparian states (Merrey 2009).
North America only has two major RBOs but they practically cover all (95%)
transboundary waters. The US-Canada International Joint Commission (IJC) was
established by the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty. Despite its relatively soft mandate, the operation of the IJC is largely regarded as a success (Norman et al. 2015).
The predecessor of today’s US-Mexico International and Boundary Water Commission (IBWC) was established in 1889. The statutory status of the IBWC is stronger
than that of the IJC in so far as it adopts decisions that are binding on their respective governments. The successful operation of the IBWC is considered as a token
of the commitment of the two countries to stable cooperative transboundary water
management in a predominantly arid area suffering from severe water problems
(Neir et al. 2009).
1 Such virtual discrepancies are due to the fact that some river basins have more than one basin
organisations (e.g. Rhine, Danube), on the other hand there a number of RBOs that govern more
than one international river (e.g. the International Joint Commission between the US and Canada).
2 http://www.sadc.int/themes/natural-resources/water/ (accessed 2 May 2018).