Water Resource Management and Development in SADC

The case study examines the disconnect between regional water management agendas in SADC and the national development priorities of member states. It argues that traditional donors have prioritised environmental conservation and river basin organisations over the large-scale infrastructure needed for hydropower and irrigation. This has led to 'economic water scarcity' where resources exist but lack the funding for development. The author notes a shift in this dynamic due to the emergence of China and Brazil as financiers for public infrastructure, which aligns more closely with national development goals.

• There is a significant disconnect between regional water resource management and national priorities, largely because the regional agenda is driven by external donor funding rather than national needs.
• Traditional donors have prioritised environmental conservation and the creation of river basin organisations (RBOs) to reduce the decision-making power of national governments, often at the expense of infrastructure development.
• The reluctance of donors to fund large-scale water infrastructure has resulted in missed opportunities for regional integration and economic growth, specifically regarding hydropower and irrigation.
• The entry of China and Brazil as financiers for public infrastructure has shifted the regional dynamic by providing funding for projects that traditional donors avoided.
• SADC member states generally suffer from 'economic water scarcity' rather than physical scarcity, meaning they lack the long-term, low-cost finance required to develop available water resources.
• Successful water-sharing initiatives in the region, such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the IncoMaputo agreement, were achieved through direct government-to-government technical structures rather than autonomous river basin organisations.

APA

Muller, M. (2013). Water Resource Management and Development in SADC. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_pg_CS1_muller_20131212.pdf

Chicago

Muller, Mike. Water Resource Management and Development in SADC. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_pg_CS1_muller_20131212.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Muller |first1=Mike |title=Water Resource Management and Development in SADC |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_pg_CS1_muller_20131212.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{muller2013water, author = {Muller, Mike}, title = {{Water Resource Management and Development in SADC}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_pg_CS1_muller_20131212.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }