International Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin « CICOS » 5th World Water Forum Session: Is inland waterborne transport a future? Water Transport in the Congo River basin Benjamin NDALA General Secretary International Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin « CICOS » 5th World Water Forum Session: Is inland waterborne transport a future? Water Transport in the Congo River basin Benjamin NDALA General Secretary

PLAN I. CICOS and basin presentation II. Water transport situation III. Actions and projects IV. Conclusion

 1/3 of the basin in the northern hemisphere, 2/3 in the southern  Area km²  9 countries  km of waterways Situation of the Congo River basin 1st basin in Africa and 2nd in the world

4 CICOS legal framework  The agreement establishing a Uniform framework for the river system and creating CICOS was signed on 6 November 1999 by the 4 heads of state of Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo (Angola is now observer)  An Addendum to the agreement extending the mandate of CICOS to IWRM was signed on 22 February 2007

PLAN I. CICOS and basin presentation II. Water transport situation III. Actions and projects IV. Conclusion

Waterways in the Congo river basin

 CEMAC-DRC inland waterway navigation code (not much applied)  Tripartite agreement for maintenance  Stanley Pool Malebo Navigation legal framework

 Stanley Pool ( © NASA)

Multimodal transport

Fuel transport Brazzaville-Kinshasa (25km: closest capitals in the world) Commercial exploitation

Inter States trade Inter States trafic Commercial exploitation (continuation)

Navigation situation  Silting  Lack of maintenance  Wrecks impeding navigation passages and harbours access

13 Navigation situation (continuation) Navigation situation (continuation) Passengers boarding on fuel barges: risk of ecological and humanitarian catastrophe

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

Oubangui low water problems (continuation)  Consequence: interruption of navigation on Oubangui river 4 days per year from 1935 to days per year from 1935 to days per year from 1972 to days per year from 1972 to days per year from 1983 to days per year from 1983 to 1989 More than 200 days per year since 2002 More than 200 days per year since 2002  Project of transfer of Oubangui waters to Lake Chad: environmental and social impacts must be seriously studied

PLAN I. CICOS and basin presentation II. Water transport situation III. Actions and projects IV. Conclusion

Promotion of water transport: current actions  Low water remote sensing alert system (AMESD)  Validation of the inland navigation Strategic Action Plan, including:  Fight against administrative interferences  Creation of the Regional inland navigation training centre  Publication of the River ports directory

Short and medium-term projects (non funded)  Continuation of the Fight against administrative interferences  Improvement of the hydrological observatory system (HYCOS)  Economic study on water transport  Radio system of communication  Construction of small boats  Maintenance, rehabilitation of ports  Hydrosedimentologic study of the Stanley Pool

CONCLUSION  Water transport, added to the railway for the downstream section, is competitive and complementary to the road  Promotion of the inland waterway navigation contributes to fight against poverty and to regional integration  A safer and better water transport would boost the economic development  Both hydropower and inland waterway navigation are beneficial to climate changes adaptation

Thank you for your attention