Management of transboundary natural resources

Transboundary natural resources management means “any process of cooperation across boundaries that facilitates or improves the management of natural resources (to the benefit of all parties in the area concerned)”. Because of their importance, these natural resources must be protected and managed in a way that will prevent their degradation and damage. Actual cases proved that joint management of transboundary natural resources often involves conflict or misunderstanding. The management of these resources should, thus, be anchored on some solid legal and institutional framework. The results of this article shows the need to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for proper international, regional and national management of natural resources that straddle more than one state. The article further reinstates the fact that this is a great means of ensuring environmental protection and avoiding conflicts among countries.   Key words: Transboundary, natural resources, legal framework, disputes, multilateral treaty, bilateral treaty, environmental sustainability.