Search

Most developing countries have responded to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) call to implement Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in their national water policy to reach water sustainability and socioeconomic welfare. Despite adopting the principles of the IWRM into the Lake Chad Basin Commission's water charter, the Lake Chad basin experiences a massive humanitarian crisis driven by the Lake's shrinkage. Socioeconomic and demographic data of 582 households were collected and semi-structured interviews with key informants with a stake in the Lake Chad Basin resources were conducted in Chad to review the water governance and its impacts on the implementation of the Integrated Water Resources Management principles. This research found that the lack of coordinated efforts between the Lake Chad Basin Commission and its stakeholders resulted in weak policies and regulations to promote public and private participation, education, and water stewardship in the Lake Chad Basin. The findings of this research highlight the urgency of strengthening the water governance in developing countries to meet the sixth Sustainable Development Goal of the 2030 Agenda for Development.