ORASECOM comes of age at 10!

ORASECOM marked its 10th birthday on 3 November 2010, making it one of the oldest Shared Watercourse Institutions (SWCIs) to be established under the SADC’s Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses. However, what is perhaps more remarkable is just how far the organisation has come in these 10 short years. The ORASECOM Agreement was signed on 3 November 2000 by the 4 Parties – Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa, establishing it as one of the first SWCIs -only 5 months after the signing of the Revised Protocol. By the end of 2001 ORASECOM had already established its programme of action, identifying 30 priority projects in 6 Thematic Areas. The Commission then embarked on building a common understanding of the basin; highlighting the water resources, environmental, legal, and institutional challenges that would have to underpin the development of a Basin Wide Plan.

For more information and photos on this workshop, please visit our 3rd newsletter.