Review of the Legal and Policy Framework for

Transboundary Natural Resource Management

in Southern Africa

The IUCN - ROSA Series on Transboundary Natural Resources Management - Paper 3

T BNRM Pa pe r 3
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Published by: IUCN - The World Conservation Union
(Regional Office for Southern Africa)

IUCN
The World Conservation Union

Citation: Mohamed-Katerere, J. 2001. Review of the Legal and Policy

Framework for Transboundary Natural Resource Management in
Southern Africa. Paper no.3, IUCN-ROSA Series on
Transboundary Natural Resource Management.

Author: Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere is a constitutional lawyer,

specializing in enviroment and development, based in Harare.

Copyright: IUCN - The World Conservation Union

This Publication may be produced in whole or part and in any

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necessarily reflect those of IUCN or those of the sponsors of
the publication.

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2 Review of the Legal and Policy Framework for Transboundary Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa
 C o n t e n t s
LIST OF BOXES V
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS VII

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

A THE BASIS FOR COLLABORATION 1

B HUMAN RIGHTS – IMPLICATIONS FOR TBNRM? 2

C IMPLICATIONS OF NATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEMS FOR TBNRM 3

D DO THE TBNRM AGREEMENTS ESTABLISH SYSTEMS FOR THE

INCORPORATION OF KEY RIGHTS AND VALUES? 4

INTRODUCTION 8

PART I: THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING

TBNRM APPROACHES 11

A THE LEGAL BASIS FOR COLLABORATION 12

1 General Principles 12
2 Priorities and Objectives of Collaboration 13
3 Comment 14

B HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK 16

1 Traditional Resource Rights 17
2 Protection of Existing Rights 18
3 Respect for Civil and Political Rights 19
4 Rights of Local Participation 20
5 Right to a Remedy 21
6 Comment 21

C ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES 23

1 Precautionary Principle 23
2 The Originator Principle 24
3 Comment 24

D CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 26

1 Compatibility 26
2 Power Relations 27
3 Resource Management 33
4 Comment 36

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 PART II: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 41

A WATER RESOURCES 42
1 International Water Law 42
2 Water and Human Rights 43
3 SADC Water Protocol 44
4 Basin and River Agreements 47
5 National Legislation 57
6 Customary Construction of Water Rights 61
7 Comment: Constraints and Opportunities 62

B TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE RESOURCES 66

1 Approaches at International Law 66
2 The SADC Wildlife Protocol 69
3 Southern African Convention for Wildlife Management (SACWM) 71
4 Transfrontier Conservation Areas 72
5 National Legislation 82
6 Comment: Constraints and Opportunities 85

C MARINE RESOURCES 92
1 International Law 92
2 SADC Marine Sector 94
3 Co-operative Agreements 95
4 National Legislation 98
5 Comment 99

D TRANSBOUNDARY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES 101

1 The SADC Framework For Transfrontier Development
Co-operation 101
2 Spatial Development Initiatives 104
3 National Policies and Laws 106
4 Comment 108

PART III: FURTHER DEVELOPING THE FRAMEWORK FOR TBNRM 111

A SUMMARY OF CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 112

B DEVELOPING SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT TBNRM 113

1 Sovereign Equality 113
2 State as Trustee 114
3 Multiple Stakeholders 115
4 Environmental Management 115
5 Human Rights Approaches 115
6 Dispute Resolution 116

C CONCLUSION 117

REFERENCES 121

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LIST OF BOXES
BOX 1: EPUPA DAM - NAMIBIA 28

BOX 2: TBNRM MAY EXACERBATE LOCAL CONFLICT 33

Box 3: ENVISAGED BASIN TRANSFERS FROM THE ZAMBEZI 57

BOX 4: CHECKLIST FOR DEVELOPING TBNRM AGREEMENTS LIST OF

ABBREVIATIONS 120

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LIST OF ABBRIVIATIONS
ADMADE Administrative Management and Design for Game Management
Areas (Zambia)
BCLME Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem
BNRMP Botswana Natural Resource Management Programme
CAMPFIRE Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous
Resources (Zimbabwe)
CAPCO Central African Power Corporation
CBD Convention on Biological Diversity
CBNRM Community-based Natural Resource Management
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Fauna and Flora
DBSA Development Bank South Africa
DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo
E Elangeni (Swaziland’s Currency)
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
ELMS Environment Land Management System
FOREST PRINCIPLES Non-legally Binding Authoritative Statement
of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management,
Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types
of Forests
GEF Global Environment Facility
GKG Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transboundary Park
IBCC Interim Benguela Current Commission
IDP Internally Displaced People
IL International law
IMERCSA India Musokotwane Environment Resource Centre for
Southern Africa
IUCN The World Conservation Union
IUCN ROSA The World Conservation Union, Regional Office for
Southern Africa
LHWP Lesotho Highlands Water Project
LIFE Living In Finite Environments (Namibia)
MCC Maputo Corridor Company
MDC Maputo Development Corridor
NGO Non-governmental organisation
NRM Natural Resource Management
OKACOM Okavango River Basin Commission
OUZIT Okavango Upper Zambezi International Tourism
PCU Programme Co-ordinating Unit
PIC Prior Informed Consent
RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
RETOSA Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa
SA South Africa
SACIM Southern African Center for Ivory Marketing
SACWM Southern African Convention for Wildlife Management
SADC Southern African Development Community
SADCC Southern African Development Consultative Conference
SDI Spatial Development Initiative

6VI Review of the Legal and Policy Framework for Transboundary Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa
 SHARED
WATERCOURSES
PROTOCOL Protocol on Shared Watercourses Systems in the Southern
African Development (SADC) Region
SKPE Swaziland Komati Project Enterprise
TDA Transboundary Diagnostic Assessments
TBNRM Transboundary Natural Resource Management
TCU Tourism Co-ordinating Unit
TFCA Transfrontier Conservation Area
TFCA Transfrontier Conservation Area
TRR Traditional Resource Rights
UN United Nations
UNCED United Nations Conference for Environment and
Development, 1992
UN CONVENTION
ON WATER United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational
Uses of International Water Courses
WILDLIFE
PROTOCOL Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement in the
Southern African Development Community
WSTCU Wildlife Sector Technical Co-ordination Unit
WWF World Wildlife Fund
ZIMOZA Zimbabwe Mozambique Zambia Transboundary Natural Resource
Management Programme
ZRA Zambezi River Authority

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