Shared Waters Shared Opportunities.

Abstract

The importance of watercourses to human life and de velopment cannot be overemphasized. From communication, trade, agriculture and the location of human settlements, they have played an immeasurable role Calas . Almost 60% of Africa lies within shared rivers an d lake basins. The Nile is shared by more than seven nations, the Zambezi by s ix, and the Congo by nine. With populations on the rise, many countries have been labelled 'water scar ce' nations, and in fifteen years it is predicted t hat many people on earth will be exposed to water short age consequences such as famine and disease. Thirteen African nations already suffer 'water stre ss' and soon another twelve will join the list unle ss something is done to thwart the problem. On March 20, 2009 in Nairobi, Hekima College collaborated with Jesuit Hakimani Centre and the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA) to host the Hekima College Water Day Academ ic Seminar with the theme 'Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities'. This b ook is the result of critical research and presentations by internationally renowned scholars, researchers and experts, and students of the Institute of Peace Studies and International Relati ons - Hekima College. For most of 2009 Kenya suffered severe problems cau sed by flooding which took many lives and destroyed homes and important infrastructures. It h ighlighted the issues of water management and water conflicts, not only in Kenya but in other par ts of East Africa, as it was made abundantly clear that not only scarcity of water, but excess water, incor rectly managed, can be disastrous. This timely, scholarly book presents discussions of the issues which underlie the major water crises i n the region. They open the debate into the water pro blems of Kenya and East Africa in an effort to join the global campaign to find solutions to these diff iculties.