Addis ababa: Ambassador Jane Gasu Aheto, Chairperson of the 12th Forum of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), emphasized the critical role Africa plays in ensuring harmony in the implementation of international water law. She stressed the importance of addressing the governance of rivers, wetlands, basins, forests, and aquifers alongside efforts to tackle climate change.
According to Ghana News Agency, the meeting, held in Addis Ababa, focused on the theme "Challenges of Implementing International Environmental Law and Water Resources Management in Africa." Dr. Ken Abotsi, acting head of the Ghana Mission in Ethiopia, led the Ghanaian delegation to the two-day forum.
Ambassador Aheto, also Ghana's Deputy Ambassador to the United States, highlighted Africa's potential for harmonisation due to its shared major water resources. She warned of the responsibility for environmental harm caused by various actors and weak regulatory systems, noting that international water law serves as a language for coexistence rather than a mere set of technical rules.
The forum acknowledged the significant development of international environmental law over the decades, yet Ambassador Aheto pointed out the existing gap between environmental law and actual protection. She underscored the principles of equitable utilization, prevention of significant harm, and cooperation as essential tools for maintaining trust and preventing conflict over scarce resources.
Ambassador Aheto reiterated that environmental law aims to protect both nature and humanity from neglectful development. She emphasized water's role as a foundation for life, peace, dignity, and shared destiny in Africa's legal framework, arguing that Africa's contribution to international law is fundamental, not supplementary.
The forum's discussions covered various topics, including water governance, the right to a healthy environment, peace and security, and the challenges linked to environmental harm in armed conflict. The importance of addressing environmental issues as central to peace, security, governance, and human survival was highlighted in Aheto's closing remarks.