Does Article 6 (factors relevant to equitable and reasonable utilisation) in the UN Watercourses Convention misdirect riparian countries?

The “factors relevant to equitable and reasonable utilization” of a watercourse expressed in Article 6 of the UN Watercourses Convention were incorporated into an Excel model using an analytical hierarchy process to examine how the article guides water allocation between countries within transboundary basins. This model was employed in training from 2008 to 2011 with scientists from transboundary basins including the Limpopo and Zambezi Rivers. Contrasting these results with those from a model designed to explore water sharing from a sectoral-growth perspective indicates that Article 6, in its current formulation, cannot guide adjustments to current water shares between countries.