Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya Open a New Chapter: Agreement on Groundwater Management

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

ALGIERS- Water scarcity presents a significant challenge in Africa’s drought-prone regions, jeopardizing both food security and economic development. However, despite water often being a source of conflict in various parts of the world, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya have reached an agreement on managing shared groundwater resources in the Northern Sahara region.

A mere 72 hours after the summit in Tunisia, which saw the participation of Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kaïs Saïed, and Mohamed Younès El-Menfi, the water resources ministers of the three countries acted swiftly to implement a key aspect of the Carthage Declaration: the resolution of shared groundwater issues in the Northern Sahara.

An agreement was signed by the Minister of Hydraulics, Taha Derbal; the Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, Abdelmonem Belati; and the Libyan Vice-Minister of Water Resources, Mohammed Faraj Qunidi. This agreement establishes a mechanism for consultation and dialogue among the three nations, with its headquarters to be situated in Algeria. Mr. Derbal commented on the significance of this agreement, stating that “it opens a promising new chapter in coordination and cooperation between our countries in a vital area, namely water resources, upon which all development processes rely.”

The establishment of this mechanism aims to promote the rational use of groundwater resources in the Sahara for regional economic development. The Tunisian Minister of Agriculture sees this as the initial step toward fulfilling the commitments made by the three countries’ presidents at the Carthage meeting. “The political will of the presidents of the three countries should be translated into concrete actions on the ground that provide real evidence of consultation and dialogue,” he emphasized.

On the Libyan side, represented by the Vice-Minister of Water Resources, who led a delegation representing various Libyan tribes in support of the Algiers agreement on groundwater resource management, affirmed Libya’s commitment to implementing this agreement. He stated that this agreement lays “the first stone of constructive cooperation,” signaling Libya’s dedication to this accord. The shared river basin between the three countries covers over a million square kilometers, with the largest portion (700,000 km²) in Algeria, approximately 260,000 km² in Libya, and 60,000 km² in Tunisia.

The resolution of this issue marks a new era in relations between the three countries, with their leaders aiming to address outstanding issues and advance the idea of creating a new bloc in the North African region.