Tripartite Ministerial Meeting in Tripoli Strengthens Cooperation on North African Groundwater
A Tripartite Ministerial Meeting between Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria was held in Tripoli, marking a significant step forward in the cooperation on North African groundwater. The meeting resulted in the signing of a founding act for a permanent mechanism of consultation on the groundwater of the northern Sahara, aiming to enhance coordination and promote sustainable management of these resources.
The "Tripoli Declaration" reaffirms the commitment of the three countries to intensify technical and scientific cooperation and ensure fair exploitation of the aquifers. The meeting also led to the adoption of the internal regulations of the instance, approval of its financial contributions, and the designation of Algeria as its president.
The participation of Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, is part of a dynamic aimed at consolidating regional cooperation in the management of water resources, with the goal of strengthening hydraulic security and sustainable development. Bilateral exchanges with the Libyan side focused on strengthening cooperation in the sectors of fishing and aquaculture.
Tunisia has ratified the agreement establishing a consultation mechanism for the common underground waters of the northern desert, linking Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya, in accordance with a decree promulgated in January 2025. This text formalizes the agreement signed on April 24, 2024, in Algeria, establishing this framework of tripartite cooperation.
Furthermore, the declaration issued from the Tunis-Algiers-Libya summit, held on April 22, 2024, in Tunis, and attended by the heads of state of the three countries, had agreed on the establishment of a joint working group tasked with developing mechanisms for the launch of common projects and investments, as well as the acceleration of the operationalization of the device for the coordinated exploitation of the shared aquifers in the northern desert.
