Libya, Algeria and Tunisia have agreed a new framework for the management of the North-Western Sahara Aquifer System, one of the world’s largest underground freshwater reserves.
The agreement, known as the Tripoli Declaration, aims to support the “rational and equitable” use of the shared Sahara aquifer amid rising water demand, climate pressures and concerns over overexploitation.
Libyan Water Resources Minister Hosni Aouidat said stronger regional coordination was needed to ensure sustainable management of the non-renewable resource.
Key developments include:
- Joint monitoring of groundwater levels and environmental pollution risks
- A quota system based on scientific and mathematical modelling
- Cooperation between Libya, Algeria and Tunisia on sustainable water governance
- Oversight of extraction rates from deep Sahara boreholes reaching up to 1,000 metres
According to officials, Algeria holds most of the aquifer’s estimated 40 trillion cubic metres of fossil water reserves.
ℹ️ Africa News
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