Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia have agreed to work together to manage and share water from one of the world’s largest underground reserves, the North-Western Sahara Aquifer System.
The agreement, called the “Tripoli Declaration,” focuses on using this non-renewable water source in a fair and sustainable way. Officials say the growing pressures of climate change and increasing demand for water make cooperation more important than ever.
This aquifer holds an enormous amount of ancient “fossil water,” most of it beneath Algeria, with smaller shares under Libya and Tunisia. However, the use of deep boreholes—sometimes reaching 1,000 meters underground—is speeding up how quickly this water is being depleted.
Under the new plan, the three countries will share data, monitor water levels, and set usage limits based on scientific models. The goal is to prevent overuse and reduce risks like pollution, ensuring the resource lasts as long as possible.
For countries like Libya, one of the driest in the world, this water is essential. The country already depends heavily on the Great Man-Made River, a massive system of pipelines that carries water from the desert to cities.
This agreement marks an important step toward regional cooperation in managing scarce resources in a challenging environment.
Source: Newstimehub
