Agreement on the Establishment of the Zambezi Watercourse Commission.

This Agreement between States of the Southern African region, referring to the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1997, as well as the Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses in the Southern African Development Community, adopted in August, 2000, establishes the Zambezi Watercourse Commission as international organisation with legal personality. The objective of the Commission is to promote the equitable and reasonable utilization of the water resources of the Zambezi Watercourse as well as the efficient management and sustainable development thereof. The Commission shall, among other things, promote, support, coordinate and harmonise the management and development of the water resources of the Zambezi Watercourse and advise member states on the planning, management, utilization, development, protection and conservation of the Zambezi Watercourse. Organs of the Commission are a) The Council of Ministers; (b) The Technical Committee; and (c) The Secretariat. Functions of the Council shall include, among other things, functions of the Council shall be to - adopt policies and decisions and provide other necessary guidance on the promotion, support and coordination of the efficient management, sustainable development, reasonable and equitable utilisation of the water resources of the Zambezi Watercourse; oversee the implementation of the plans, programmes and projects of the commission; approve the plans, programmes and projects to be developed and implemented by the Secretariat. Decisions of the Council shall be by consensus. The Agreement sets out the principles that states shall commit themselves to in the implementation of this Agreement and defines the general responsibilities of member states in respect of the (use of) the Zambezi Watercourse. The Agreement also provides rules with respect to reporting and notifications by member states, non-compliance, and dispute settlement (by the Tribunal of the SADC).