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Across Africa, the incidences of violence over water resources increased by around 34 per cent during 2022-23. There were at least 71 such incidents recorded in 2023 compared to 53 in 2022.
From 2019-23, such conflicts increased by around 154 per cent. In 2023, Africa reported the highest number of water-related conflicts and disputes since 2019, revealed an analysis of the world’s most comprehensive open-source database on water-related violence released August 26, 2024.
The annual, updated data and analysis was released by the Pacific Institute ahead of the world’s largest international conference on water, Stockholm’s World Water Week, the year's theme for which is 'Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future'.
Disputes over water resources in sub-Saharan Africa rose by 27 per cent in a year. The number of events reported in the region increased to at least 56 in 2023 from 44 in 2022. It accounted for 79 per cent of all incidents reported in Africa in 2023.
Northern Africa reported an increase by around 67 per cent during this period. In 2023, at least 15 events were reported from North Africa, compared to nine in 2022.
Latin America and the Caribbean, Southern Asia, Western Asia and sub-Saharan Africa were identified as regions of special concern in the updated database for 2023.
These regions have been hit by drought and unequal access to water resources. For example, numerous water wells and infrastructure were destroyed, hundreds of people were killed and fights broke out over access to drinking water and grazing area throughout the region between ethnic militias and clans in Somalia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Mali and other countries.
At least two people were killed and twenty more injured as Kotoko farmers and Arab Choa herders fought over land and water in Makary, Goulfey, Amdagalgui and Ngouma (Logone-et-Chari, Far North, Cameroon) on October 6 and 7, 2023.
Recent data revealed a significant increase in drought-related incidents and conflicts over water availability and management in Latin America and India.
So, globally, there has been an overall increase in all three categories of conflicts (trigger, casualty, weapon) globally. These events include attacks on water systems, unrest and disputes over the control of and access to water, and the use of water as a weapon of war.
At least 347 such events were reported worldwide in 2023, in comparison to 231 in 2022. In 2000, there were only 22 such incidents were observed.
Of these, the attacks on water and water infrastructure accounted for half of the incidents in 2023. Violence triggered by disputes over access and control of water accounted for 39 per cent and water was used as a weapon of war accounted for 11 per cent of the total events reported and included in the database.
Globally, both the interstate and intrastate conflicts over water have increased between 2022 and 2023.
But in Africa, subnational conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, urban and rural water users, religious groups and family clans in 2023 (62 per cent of the events) continue to far outnumber transboundary events, where two or more nations were involved (38 per cent of the events).
The trend is accelerating despite a 2000 UN resolution that explicitly recognised the essential human right to water and sanitation. Extreme weather — including drought and flooding — due to a changing climate is further straining the water systems around the world.
“The large increase in these events signals that too little is being done to ensure equitable access to safe and sufficient water and highlights the devastation that war and violence wreak on civilian populations and essential water infrastructure,” said Morgan Shimabuku, senior researcher with the Pacific Institute.
“The newly updated data and analysis exposes the increasing risk that climate change adds to already fragile political situations by making access to clean water less reliable in areas of conflict around the world,” Shimabuku stated.