Cross-border water management: the power for peace. In an interview for the German Agency for International Cooperation giz, Mamman Nuhu, Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, explains how joint water management can help stabilise the Sahel region.
Mr. Nuhu, as head of the Lake Chad Basin Commission you have been campaigning for cross-border water management for many years. What role does water play for peace, security and conflict prevention in the region?
In the Lake Chad Basin, water plays a dual role. On one hand, its scarcity, worsened by environmental changes and poor management, leads to conflicts, displacement, and terrorism. This harms livelihoods and creates competition. On the other hand, when managed well, water can promote peace, security, and development. The main challenges—climate change, conflict, and displacement—are interdependent, making them more complex to handle. One problem can trigger others, destabilizing the region further. When a lack of resources forces people to leave their homes, we need to develop timely plans to help them relocate. Issues such as land management, access to water, sanitation and electricity as well as conflict prevention need to be considered. Without good management, competition for resources can lead to violence.
Read the full interview on giz
