Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia have officially adopted the “Tripoli Declaration,” a landmark agreement establishing a framework for the equitable and sustainable exploitation of the North Sahara Aquifer System.
Announced on Wednesday, the declaration focuses on one of the world’s largest groundwater reserves, a transboundary resource that serves as a strategic lifeline for a region facing intensified water stress due to climate change. The framework emphasizes enhanced coordination and the implementation of data-sharing mechanisms to regulate water use and mitigate risks such as overexploitation and pollution.
The North Sahara Aquifer System contains an estimated 40,000 billion cubic meters of water, with approximately 62% located in Algeria, 30% in Libya, and 8% in Tunisia. Although this water was historically accessed through shallow wells and natural springs, rising demand has necessitated deep drilling operations reaching depths of up to 1,000 meters to reach these largely non-renewable resources. To manage this, the three nations have confirmed the creation of a consultation mechanism that will assign specific water quotas to each country based on monitoring models of water levels and associated risks. Algeria will hold the rotating presidency of this regulatory body for an initial three-year term.
The agreement underscores the vital link between water management and regional stability. Hussein al-Talou of Libya’s Ministry of Water Resources noted that monitoring will be conducted jointly, while Libyan Minister Hosni Awedane and Tunisian Minister Ezzedine Ben Cheikh highlighted the “optimal use” of the aquifer as a direct necessity for regional food security. In Libya specifically, where over 60% of water needs are met by the Great Man-Made River project supplied by fossil aquifers, this tripartite agreement aims to provide a structured governance framework for a critical North African resource.
MK/AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA