Enhancing Transboundary Cooperation Between Mozambique and Zimbabwe in the Buzi, Pungwe and Save (BUPUSA) Shared Watercourses - GWPSA Session

Enhancing Transboundary Cooperation Between Mozambique and Zimbabwe in the Buzi, Pungwe and Save(BUPUSA) Shared Watercourses 

Convenors: Global Water Partnership, IUCN and LIMCOM

The BUPUSA Tri-Basin consists of the following shared river basins: the Buzi River Basin; the Pungwe River Basin, and the Save River Basin. The Buzi River Basin area is 27,700 km² of which 24,500 km² (88%) is located in Mozambique and 3,200 km² (12%) in Zimbabwe. The Save River runs from Zimbabwe and discharges into the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. A main tributary Runde River joins the Save River close to the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The total Basin Area for the Save River Basin is 110,420 km² of which 84,500 km² (79%) is in Zimbabwe and 23 620 km² (21%) in Mozambique. The Pungwe River originates in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and flows in a general easterly direction through Mozambique into the Indian Ocean. The Pungwe River Basin in Zimbabwe and Mozambique covers a total area of 31,151 km², of which 1,461 km² (4.7%) lies in Zimbabwe, and 29,690 km² (95.3%) is in Mozambique. The main Pungwe River has a total length of approximately 400 km (E. Madamombe 2023).

Mozambique and Zimbabwe, like the rest of the Southern Africa region countries, are prone to extreme hydro-climatic events such as floods and droughts. This is demonstrated by the frequency of droughts, especially in the early 1990s and most recently devastating flooding events induced mainly by cyclones Eline (2000), Idai (2019), Chalene (2020), Eloise (2021) and Gombe (2022). The worst recent floods induced by Cyclone Idai led to over 800 lives being lost in the two countries. The situation in the shared river basins is compounded by deteriorating water quality, environmental degradation, and saline water intrusion towards the mouth of the River Basins.The following Agreements were subsequently signed (E Madamombe):

• Agreement on the Establishment of the Buzi, Pungwe and Save Watercourses Commission (BUPUSA Commission)
• Agreement on the Hosting of the BUPUSA Watercourses Commission Secretariat
• Agreement on Cooperation on the Development, Management and Sustainable Utilisation of the Water Resources of the Save Watercourse

Because of the transboundary nature of the challenges in the basin as well as opportunities associated with sound, socio economic and environmental management of transboundary basins, the two countries have so far signed the Buzi, Pungwe and Save agreements on, Cooperation on the development, management and sustainable utilization of the water resources of the three basins. Furthermore, in May 2023, the two countries signed the Buzi, Pungwe and Save Establishment Agreement and the Buzi, Pungwe Save Hosting Agreement. These two agreements paved way for the establishment of the BUPUSA Commission whose responsibility is to support the two Member States in the monitoring, planning, development and management of the three River Basins. An Interim Institution was launched in July 2023 and is currently being supported through the GEF BUPUSA project

A road Map and a Finance strategy to support the setting up of the institution and operationalization of the agreements has been approved by member states. With support of the GEF Funded project, a transboundary diagnostic analysis and strategic action plan will further identify challenges in the basin and provide a strategic plan to address some of the challenges.

This session will focus on the Road Map and the finance Strategy for the transboundary water resources management of the Buzi, Pungwe and Save Shared River Basins.

Session Programme