Horn of Africa Water Programme

Abstract

Horn of Africa Region Lake Turkana, Kenya The Horn of Africa (HoA) comprises Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, covering an area of about 5.2 million square kilometres. The Horn region is endowed with rich hydrological resources, both in terms of surface water and groundwater whose values in terms of quantity and quality have not been properly assessed. The Horn is also a region of great physical contrasts, with ecosystems ranging from coastal and marine with extensive coral reefs to freshwater ecosystems. The coastline of the Horn of Africa extends from the Red Sea along the coast of Sudan and Eritrea, through the Gulf of Tadjourah in Djibouti, to the Indian Ocean bordering Somalia and Kenya. The shoreline is generally characterised by extensive fringing reefs, patches of coral reefs, sheltered bays and creeks, limestone cliffs, sand dunes and beaches. Approximately 60 percent of land in the Horn can be classified as arid, receiving less than 500 mm of rainfall a year. Although the remaining 40 percent is wetter, many parts of the region suffer from water insecurity both in terms of quality and quantity. The rains are unreliable and unevenly distributed over the season. El Niño and La Niña and climate change are now

5 also affecting the region, both in terms of increased rainfall patterns in some areas leading to floods and rising temperatures and prolonged periods of drought in some areas of the region.