Mozambique: Country wants to renegotiate river-sharing

Mozambique’s government intends to renegotiate the river-sharing agreements with neighbouring countries, aiming to increase water supply capacity, the minister of public works, housing and water resources, João Machatine, said on Thursday.

“Mozambique ponders to revisit the sharing agreements of the neighbouring countries’ river basins to make them flexible regarding the water available in case of excess, upstream, and in crisis, in national territory,” Machatine said.

A new regulatory framework on water sharing will allow countries with enough water to be able to provide it to their partners in crisis situations.

Machatine pointed out a recent understanding with eSwantini (formerly Swaziland) as an example of a flexible collaboration in the sharing of rivers.

Under this cooperation, eSwantini opened last week the floodgates of the Umbeluzi river dam to provide 18 million cubic metres to the province of Maputo until the end of this month.

Machatine said that the volume of water eSwantini is releasing will allow the Mozambican dam of Pequenos Libombos to supply water to the province of Maputo by 100%.

The decision results from a commitment between Mozambique’s president Filipe Nyusi and king Mswati III last March.

The province of Maputo has been facing a water crisis for five years due to drought cycles that affect southern Mozambique, causing the supply to be made intermittently.