South Africa and Namibia have entered negotiations to settle a longstanding dispute over the possession of the Orange River. Both governments describe the talks as constructive, but they revolve around a colonial-era treaty signed in 1890, which set the border along the river’s northern bank, effectively placing the waterway under South African control.

While Pretoria continues to uphold this demarcation, Namibia has argued for the boundary to be shifted to the middle of the river, a move it deems more equitable.

The issue is particularly sensitive given that both nations face severe water shortages, a challenge aggravated by climate change. After two days of discussions, officials from both countries expressed optimism, issuing a joint statement underscoring their commitment to resolving the matter through "good neighbourliness, transparency, and mutual trust." A report compiled by experts from both sides will now be submitted to their respective presidents for further consideration.

Namibia has previously voiced concerns about South Africa’s broader water management plans, particularly its intention to extract additional water from Lesotho, which Namibia fears could affect the flow of the Orange River. The country is no stranger to water-related disputes, having also clashed with Botswana over islands in the Chobe River, a dispute that was ultimately settled in Botswana’s favour by the International Court of Justice.

Hemmed in by the Namib and Kalahari deserts, Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with erratic rainfall and high evaporation rates exacerbating its water scarcity. Speaking at a conference in Cairo, Namibia’s water minister, Calle Schlettwein, warned that the country would need to invest $1.4 billion over the next decade to secure its water future.

In contrast to the escalating tensions surrounding Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile, where downstream nations Egypt and Sudan fear significant disruptions to their water supply, the South African-Namibian talks have so far avoided a similar breakdown in diplomacy. The cooperative tone marks a rare display of regional diplomacy aimed at managing one of Africa’s most pressing resources: water.

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