Okavango river basin study at GEF International Waters Conference

Angolans contributing to TDA study, courtesy of Chaminda Rajapakse

A delegation from the Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission (OKACOM) has just returned from the Global Environment Facility’s Fifth International Waters Conference in Cairns, Australia from October 24-29, 2009. There, the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Management of the Okavango River Basin (EPSMO) Project team presented initial findings of the GEF-funded Okavango River Basin Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis study that will support development of a strategic action plan for the Basin. The study, with contributions from researchers in the three riparian countries of Angola, Botswana and Namibia, used innovative environmental flows and scenario building methodology to look at how possible developments could affect the still largely undeveloped basin. The report should be publically issued by OKACOM early next year.