Daily Times

Botswana has expressed interest in joining the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (the Water Convention) to ensure its water security and socioeconomic development, a government official said Monday. Like many other African countries, Botswana is particularly vulnerable to water scarcity as a result of climate change, and the primary challenges are centered on water resource availability and increasing water demand pressure, said Kekgonne Baipoledi, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs, at a national workshop on the protection of water resources in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital. The southern African country shares the majority of its water resources with neighboring countries. Transboundary water cooperation is thus critical for Botswana’s water security and long-term socioeconomic development. The Water Convention promotes the sustainable management of shared water resources, conflict prevention, peace and regional integration, all of which Botswana stands to benefit from, Baipoledi said. Furthermore, Botswana is developing a water investment program that is aligned with the continental Africa Water Investment Program in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa.