International Commission of theInternational Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin

« CICOS » « CICOS »

5th World Water Forum5th World Water ForumSession: Is inland waterborne transport a future? Session: Is inland waterborne transport a future?

Water TransportWater Transportin the Congo River basinin the Congo River basin

Benjamin NDALABenjamin NDALAGeneral SecretaryGeneral Secretary

PLANPLAN

I.I. CICOS and basin presentationCICOS and basin presentation

II.II. Water transport situationWater transport situation

III.III. Actions and projectsActions and projects

IV.IV. ConclusionConclusion

1/3 of the 1/3 of the basin in the basin in the northern northern hemisphere, hemisphere, 2/3 in the 2/3 in the southernsouthern

Area Area 3 700 000 km²3 700 000 km²

9 countries9 countries 25 000 km 25 000 km of of

waterwayswaterways

Situation of the Congo River Situation of the Congo River basinbasin

1st basin in Africa1st basin in Africa

and 2nd in the worldand 2nd in the world

4

CICOS legal frameworkCICOS legal framework

The agreement establishing a The agreement establishing a Uniform framework for the river Uniform framework for the river system and creating CICOS was system and creating CICOS was signed on 6 November 1999 by the 4 signed on 6 November 1999 by the 4 heads of state of heads of state of Cameroon, Central Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo and Democratic Africa, Congo and Democratic Republic of CongoRepublic of Congo (Angola is now (Angola is now observer) observer)

An Addendum to the agreement An Addendum to the agreement extending the mandate of CICOS to extending the mandate of CICOS to IWRMIWRM was signed on 22 February was signed on 22 February 20072007

PLANPLAN

I.I. CICOS and basin presentationCICOS and basin presentation

II.II. Water transport situationWater transport situation

III.III. Actions and projectsActions and projects

IV.IV. ConclusionConclusion

Waterways in the Congo river basinWaterways in the Congo river basin

CEMAC-DRC CEMAC-DRC inland waterway inland waterway navigation codenavigation code (not much (not much applied)applied)

Tripartite Tripartite agreement for agreement for maintenancemaintenance

Stanley Pool Stanley Pool MaleboMalebo

Navigation legal Navigation legal frameworkframework

Stanley Pool (Stanley Pool (©© NASA) NASA)

Multimodal transportMultimodal transport

Fuel transportFuel transport Brazzaville-Kinshasa Brazzaville-Kinshasa (25km: closest capitals (25km: closest capitals

in the world)in the world)

Commercial exploitationCommercial exploitation

Inter States tradeInter States tradeInter States traficInter States trafic

Commercial exploitation Commercial exploitation (continuation)(continuation)

Navigation situationNavigation situation

Silting Silting Lack of maintenanceLack of maintenance Wrecks impeding navigation Wrecks impeding navigation

passages and harbours accesspassages and harbours access

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NNavigation situation avigation situation (continuation)(continuation)

Passengers boarding on fuel barges: Passengers boarding on fuel barges:

risk of ecological and humanitarian risk of ecological and humanitarian catastrophecatastrophe

Oubangui low water Oubangui low water problemsproblems

The basin faces severe low-water, The basin faces severe low-water, notably for its tributaries situated in the notably for its tributaries situated in the northern hemisphere, such as the northern hemisphere, such as the Oubangui RiverOubangui River

Modules Oubangui à Bangui

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

1936

1940

1944

1948

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

Oubangui low water Oubangui low water problems problems (continuation)(continuation)

Consequence: interruption of Consequence: interruption of navigation on Oubangui rivernavigation on Oubangui river

• 4 days per year from 1935 to 19714 days per year from 1935 to 1971• 40 days per year from 1972 to 198240 days per year from 1972 to 1982• 107 days per year from 1983 to 1989107 days per year from 1983 to 1989• More than 200 daysMore than 200 days per year since per year since

20022002

Project of Project of transfer of Oubangui waters transfer of Oubangui waters to Lake Chadto Lake Chad: environmental and social : environmental and social impacts must be seriously studied impacts must be seriously studied

PLANPLAN

I.I. CICOS and basin presentationCICOS and basin presentation

II.II. Water transport situationWater transport situation

III.III. Actions and projectsActions and projects

IV.IV. ConclusionConclusion

Promotion of water Promotion of water transport: current transport: current

actionsactions Low water remote sensing alert system Low water remote sensing alert system

(AMESD)(AMESD) Validation of the inland navigation Validation of the inland navigation

Strategic Action Plan, including:Strategic Action Plan, including: Fight against administrative interferencesFight against administrative interferences Creation of the Regional inland navigation Creation of the Regional inland navigation

training centre training centre Publication of the River ports directoryPublication of the River ports directory

Short and medium-term Short and medium-term projectsprojects (non funded)(non funded)

Continuation of the Fight against Continuation of the Fight against administrative interferencesadministrative interferences

Improvement of the hydrological Improvement of the hydrological observatory system (HYCOS)observatory system (HYCOS)

Economic study on water transportEconomic study on water transport Radio system of communicationRadio system of communication Construction of small boatsConstruction of small boats Maintenance, rehabilitation of portsMaintenance, rehabilitation of ports Hydrosedimentologic study of the Hydrosedimentologic study of the

Stanley PoolStanley Pool

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION

Water transport, added to the railway for the Water transport, added to the railway for the downstream section, is competitive and downstream section, is competitive and complementary to the roadcomplementary to the road

Promotion of the inland waterway navigation Promotion of the inland waterway navigation contributes to fight against poverty and to contributes to fight against poverty and to regional integrationregional integration

A safer and better water transport would boost A safer and better water transport would boost the the economic developmenteconomic development

Both hydropower and inland waterway Both hydropower and inland waterway navigation are beneficial to navigation are beneficial to climate changesclimate changes adaptationadaptation

Thank you for your Thank you for your attentionattention