Africa: Congo Basin Loss Could Trigger Water Wars Across Africa - - Ex-Gabon Minister Lee White

What the report says

Daily Maverick, distributed by AllAfrica, reports that former Gabonese environment minister and conservation scientist Lee White is warning that climate change could intensify water shortages and conflict across Africa unless the Congo Basin is protected. The article says White describes the rainforest region as a central part of the continent’s climate system, arguing that it helps generate moisture flows that support farming far beyond Central Africa.

The piece is framed around White’s long career in conservation, especially his work in Gabon, where he helped create national parks and confronted illegal logging. It also notes that his views on environmental risk are shaped by decades of experience in the region, including work linked to protecting forests and questions around global carbon markets.

According to the report, White’s concern is that if large parts of the Congo Basin are lost, the wider African water cycle could be disrupted, with consequences for agriculture from the Sahel to the Ethiopian Highlands. The article presents this as a major climate and security issue for the continent, not just a local forestry problem.

The story was published on 9 September 2026 and places Gabon at the center of a broader debate over forest conservation, climate resilience and water security in Africa.