Aqua-Conflicts and Hydro-Politics in Africa : Unfolding the Role of African Union Water Management Interventions

Water is not only essential for human and animal existence but also for the sustenance of the ecosystem. Water availability is reducing globally, due to many reasons. This reduction in water availability led to the individual, group and national manipulation of water to attain multi-dimensional interests leading to aqua-conflicts amongst nations. Aqua-conflicts are identifiable at both global and regional levels and consequently need some diplomatic interventions in solving them. The paper used qualitative method of random sampling to source for data on causes and dynamics of aqua-conflicts from different regions of the continent. It reveals that Africa has experienced part of this aqua-conflict at bilateral and multi-lateral levels in many sub-regions and documented AU water management initiatives. The paper argues that the AU need to increasingly intervene in addressing water-related conflicts in Africa, whose negative potentials are capable of drawing Africa into increased under-development. Consequently, the study calls on the African Union to actively engage in increased initiatives that will preserve aqua-peace in the continent. The rise of a continental water law and the strengthening of internal institutional capacities of states would go a long way in managing aqua-conflicts in the continent.