The Zambezi River Basin

source of water, income, and electrical power in the region. The basin is rich in water and other resources, but climatic changes and population growth are putting increasing pressure on its long-term sustainability. Furthermore, this region is one of the poorest in the world, a fact which makes a critical difference in considering how best to negotiate the fair use of this resource. The basin has an average GDP per capita of just about US$1000 (IMF, 2010). The historical context around water and electrical power in the region are also crucial in understanding the possibility of shared resource management. Finally, located within a generally dry climate, this basin has been identified as ‘at risk ’ – making its shared management a high and present priority