Tunisia, Libya and Algeria Seal Water Accord

Tunisia has formally ratified an agreement establishing a consultative mechanism for shared groundwater management in the Northern Sahara region, alongside Libya and Algeria.

The ratification was confirmed through an official decree published in the Tunisian Republic’s Official Gazette.

The ratification follows a series of ministerial-level meetings focusing on regional water resource management. In April 2024, Algiers hosted trilateral discussions between the agricultural ministers of Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, with Northern Sahara groundwater management as the primary agenda item.

A subsequent summit in Tunisia convened Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohammed al-Menfi, Tunisian President Kais Saïed, and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The leaders agreed to establish a joint technical committee to develop frameworks for major shared investments and expedite the implementation of the common groundwater management mechanism in the Northern Sahara.

According to the Official Gazette, the agreement, signed in Algiers on 24 April 2024, establishes a trilateral consultative mechanism. The document comprises two main sections: the first addressing the agreement’s ratification procedures, and the second detailing its publication requirements in the official gazette.

This trilateral accord marks a significant development in regional cooperation over shared water resources, particularly vital in the Northern Sahara region where groundwater management is crucial for sustainable development.