The Hydropolitics of Africa

COP: The United Nations Climate Conference. Figure 1.  Source: UCL.   I recently came across an interesting article from Greenpeace, which framed the recent events of COP27 in a way I’d not seen before. Titled:  ‘COP27 stifles dissent, ignores impacted voices & puts polluters before climate justice’ , the article summarises deep flaws within the COP27 negotiation process. This was interesting to me. I had heard much discourse of the event over the past few months: amongst my peers, from my lecturers, on the news. The world’s annual COP seems to represent the pinnacle of progress, hope and inclusivity. On the surface,  common media discourse represents discussions and negotiations as a fair and democratic process , with all actors working towards a united goal: to save our planet. Reflecting now, I somewhat think I was consumed by the westernised perspective and narratives. For most of the West, yes, COP is a place of cooperation and national gain. I can now under...

Welcome to my blog, in which I intend to decipher some hydropolitical issues in the continent of Africa. Before I begin, I would like to highlight my positionality on the matter. Whilst being a woman of mixed Nigerian and British heritage, I remain writing this blog as an outsider looking in, attempting to comprehend some manifestations of African hydropolitics. Figure 1. Source: The Guardian Nigeria. I have visited a few African countries: South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia. Wainaina (2006) emphasises the importance of breaking the perception of Africa as a singular country. In truly understanding hydropolitics, it is essential that we centre the individuality of countries in our thinking. The majority of discourse seems intent on 'othering' the people of African countries. They are not people who eat 'things no other humans eat' , nor ' helpless ' or ' without a past '. They possess agency, a past and a future. Fundamentally, we must put an...