Factors Affecting the Adoption of Transboundary Groundwater Agreements and Potential Solutions: A Focus on the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System

Compared with international law applicable to surface water, international groundwater law has seen slower development. This has resulted in groundwater playing a secondary role in international water conventions and the adoption of fewer groundwater basin agreements. This chapter examines three main factors affecting cooperation over transboundary groundwater from a legal perspective. These factors are (1) the hidden nature of this resource, (2) lack of scientific understanding in the past and present, and (3) the potential impact of current scientific developments on the adoption of water agreements. These factors will be examined in the context of a case study, the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, shared among Libya, Egypt, Chad, and Sudan. Based on the analysis, recommendations are made on how these factors can strengthen the adoption and implementation of a new aquifer agreement.