Environment & Conflict Linkages: Experiences from the Great Lakes Region & the Nile

1. Environment & Conflict Linkages: Experiences from the Great Lakes Region & the Nile Dr. Patricia Kameri-Mbote Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi & International Environmental Law Research Centre

2. Outline • Introduction • Environment & Security Work in East Africa • African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) • UNEP • Nile Basin • HBF dialogues • Conclusion

3. Introduction • Many of the African continent’s violent conflicts linked to NR (scarcity and/or abundance) • Peace and security fundamental to Africa’s sustainable development (AU & NEPAD) • Broader Context for Envt-Conflict Linkages • 1. Primacy of environmental/natural resources • Poverty & wealth linked to these resources • Land tenure/ natural resource management interface • Role of Policy & Law as providing the governance context • 2. Envt & Conflict management a major policy challenge for Eastern African, Horn & Great Lakes Region • Among top ten refugee generators & hosts

4. Introduction (2) • Challenges in envt-security discourse in the region • Envtl scarcities per se not directly cause conflict (Intermediate effects) • Envtl factors as triggers, sustainers & sources of conflict • Trigger: Spark off & escalate violent conflict e.g. severe drought, a devastating flood or a volcanic eruption • Sustainer: Aggravate, perpetuate conflict, spoil opportunities for peace, undermine possibilities for communication • Sources: • Political, social, economic or ecological imbalances between different actors and groups • E.g. Land, forest resources, pasture, minerals • Lack of democratic legitimacy & good governance (weakened states) • Absence of opportunities for peaceful reconciliation of diverging needs and interests; and • Lack of an active and organized civil society (Weakened communities).

5. Environment & Security Work in East Africa • Involvement in environment-security work at different levels • 1. ACTS’ project on Ecological Sources of Conflict in SSA launched in 2000 & concluded in 2001 • 2. UNEP Nairobi Initiative to mainstream environment into the security discourse • 3. Nile Basin Discourse • 4. Engagement in fora discussing issues of security • HBF & Institute of Diplomacy & International Studies’ Dialogue on Regional Security

6. Work at ACTS • Aims of the study • 1. To identify and assess the extent to which environmental factors have been important sources of conflict in SSA • 2. To promote the integration of environmental factors into regional and international processes for conflict management and prevention in SSA • 3. To promote the integration of environmental factors into regional and international processes for conflict management and prevention in SSA (IGAD & AU/NEPAD) • Country studies: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC over a period of one year

7. Work at ACTS (2) • Findings • Different ecological factors influence conflict: triggering/fuelling • Discovery of gold and diamonds and exploitation of coltan DRC • Oil in Sudan • Production and marketing of coffee in Burundi • Access to and control over the allocation of the Nile waters • Land scarcity & ecological decline in Rwanda • Local conflicts with global actors • Work on land has been carried further with studies done on DRC, Burundi & Rwanda • Proposed work on Kenya

8. UNEP Work • Seeking to bring international discourse on envt & security to the region • Work on • 1. Bringing environment to the dialogue on peace in the GL region • 2. Stock-taking on institutions engaged in environment & security work • 3. Participation in an international group of experts discussing pertinent envt-security issues to contribute to UNEP work • Challenge of bringing security work into the work of an env’t focused institution • Concern not to antagonise governments • No naming – discussion at general level • Access to security people difficult

9. UNEP Work (2) • Mainstreaming envt into themes of GL Conference • Peace & Security • Democracy & Good Governance • Economic Development & Regional Integration • Humanitarian & Social issues • Meeting of country reps from core GL countries in September (DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania & Zambia) • Statement for preparatory meeting • Many people still not convinced • Perception of envt as elitist concept detracting from development and poverty alleviation • Statement from GL conference of heads of state awaited

10. UNEP Work (2) • Stocktaking of institutions • Ongoing & indicates lack of link between institutions working on conflict/security & those working on environment • Experts Group first meeting will be in March 2005 in Bonn • Idea’s genesis at WWIC/UNEP meeting last December, followed by meeting with repves of regional groups in May 2004 • Terms of reference for the group evolving

11. Nile Basin • The Nile Basin covers ten countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi and an area of about 3 million square kilometres. • The Nile Basin Initiative, developed over the years and formally established in 1999 • Brings Nile Basin countries to work together to develop the resources of the Nile for the benefit of all • Context: A long legacy of mutual recriminations, regional conflict, drought and other problems • Initially cooperation was around scientific information sharing • The shared vision of the Nile Basin Initiative is “To achieve sustainable socio-economic development through equitable utilization of, and benefit from the common Nile basin water resources”

13. Nile Basin (2) • The NBI organs: • The Council of Ministers (Nile-COM) • The Technical Advisory Committee (Nile-TAC) • The Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat (Nile-Sec) • Programmes: • 1. The Shared Vision Programme (meant to help create an enabling environment for action on the ground) covering all riparian states and dealing with issues such as regional power trade, water resources planning, confidence building and stakeholder participation, socio-economic development and benefit-sharing among others. • 2. Subsidiary Action Programme (Sub-basin projects) • Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Programme (ENSAP) • Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme (NELSAP)

14. Nile Basin Discourse • The Nile Basin Discourse initiated to bring the voices of stakeholders other than government to the process of the development of the Nile basin • Struggling to gain recognition of govt actors & to marshall resources for meaningful engagement • Has offices in Entebbe Uganda & national forums in nine of the ten riparian countries

15. Conclusion • Peace and security predicated on addressing all causes of conflict & involving all actors • Security in our region a factor of internal relations • State actors must co-opt participation of local actors to be successful • Relationships between individuals in countries & regions critical • Powerful/powerless (socio-economic, gender etc) • HBF work looking at regional security from gender angle & how construction of masculinity & femininity colours experience of security or lack of it • Environmental resources come into sharp focus where countries very dependent on envtl resources for subsistence & economic activities • Gender variable critical here too

16. Conclusion (2) • Informing premise: • ‘Our efforts must be seen in the larger context of our wide-ranging work to enhance human security in all its dimensions. “National security” and “national interests” can no longer be thought of in narrow terms, or as solely a question of military preparedness and might. Rather, our definition of security must encompass economic well-being, social justice, environmental protection, good governance and the rule of law’ (UN Chronicle Spring 1997)