The water resources of the SADC region are vital for sustainable economic and social development of the region. Apart from sustaining a rich diversity of natural ecosystems, the region's water resources are critical for meeting the basic needs related to water supplies for domestic and industrial requirements,rnand for sanitation and waste management for about 200 million people. In addition, there is a need for increasing food security through better management of rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, aquaculture, and livestock production; and improving access and availability of cheap energy throughrnhydropower. Despite the importance of water in the region there is, presently, no long-term policy and strategy for the development and management of the region's water resources, and in particular the management of transboundary watercourse systems.