Treaty

Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

PartiesParties with a link have a reservation.

Party Signature RatificationS=Signature without reservation or requirement of ratification R=Ratification, Acceptance, Approval or Notification A=Accession Su=Succession NK=Not Known Entry into force Renunciation Termination
Albania 18-03-1992 05-01-1994 (R) 06-10-1996
Austria 18-03-1992 25-07-1996 (R) 23-10-1996
Azerbaijan 03-08-2000 (A) 01-11-2000
Bangladesh 20-06-2025 (A) 18-09-2025
Belarus 29-05-2003 (A) 27-08-2003
Belgium 18-03-1992 08-11-2000 (R) 06-02-2001
Bosnia and Herzegovina 03-12-2009 (A) 03-03-2010
Botswana 20-01-2026 (A) 20-04-2026
Bulgaria 18-03-1992 28-10-2003 (R) 27-01-2004
Cameroon 01-11-2022 (A) 30-01-2023
Chad 22-02-2018 (A) 23-05-2018
Côte d'Ivoire 10-07-2024 (A) 08-10-2024
Croatia 08-07-1996 (A) 06-10-1996
Czech Republic 12-06-2000 (A) 10-09-2000
Denmark 18-03-1992 28-05-1997 (R) 26-08-1997
Estonia 18-03-1992 16-06-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
EU (European Union) 18-03-1992 14-09-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
Finland 18-03-1992 21-02-1996 (R) 06-10-1996
France 18-03-1992 30-06-1998 (R) 28-09-1998
Gambia, The 17-07-2023 (A) 15-10-2023
Germany 18-03-1992 30-01-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
Ghana 22-06-2020 (A) 20-09-2020
Greece 18-03-1992 06-09-1996 (R) 05-12-1996
Guinea-Bissau 14-06-2021 (A) 12-09-2021
Hungary 18-03-1992 02-09-1994 (R) 06-10-1996
Iraq 24-03-2023 (A) 22-06-2023
Italy 18-03-1992 23-05-1996 (R) 06-10-1996
Jordan 06-02-2026 (A) 07-05-2026
Kazakhstan 11-01-2001 (A) 11-04-2001
Latvia 18-03-1992 10-12-1996 (R) 10-03-1997
Liechtenstein 19-11-1997 (A) 17-02-1998
Lithuania 18-03-1992 28-04-2000 (R) 27-07-2000
Luxembourg 20-05-1992 07-06-1994 (R) 06-10-1996
Malawi 26-08-2026 (A) 24-11-2026
Moldova 04-01-1994 (A) 06-10-1996
Montenegro 23-06-2014 (A) 21-09-2014
Namibia 08-06-2023 (A) 06-09-2023
Netherlands, the Kingdom of the 18-03-1992 14-03-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
Nigeria 22-03-2023 (A) 20-06-2023
North Macedonia 28-07-2015 (A) 26-10-2015
Norway 18-09-1992 01-04-1993 (R) 06-10-1996
Panama 06-07-2023 (A) 04-10-2023
Poland 18-03-1992 15-03-2000 (R) 13-06-2000
Portugal 09-06-1992 09-12-1994 (R) 06-10-1996
Romania 18-03-1992 31-05-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
Russian Federation 18-03-1992 02-11-1993 (R) 06-10-1996
Senegal 31-08-2018 (A) 29-11-2018
Serbia 27-08-2010 (A) 25-11-2010
Sierra Leone 26-09-2025 (A) 25-12-2025
Slovakia 07-07-1999 (A) 05-10-1999
Slovenia 13-04-1999 (A) 12-07-1999
Spain 18-03-1992 16-02-2000 (R) 16-05-2000
Sweden 18-03-1992 05-08-1993 (R) 06-10-1996
Switzerland 18-03-1992 23-05-1995 (R) 06-10-1996
Togo 28-09-2021 (A) 27-12-2021
Turkmenistan 29-08-2012 (A) 27-11-2012
Ukraine 08-10-1999 (A) 06-01-2000
United Kingdom 18-03-1992
Uzbekistan 04-09-2007 (A) 03-12-2007
Zambia 04-09-2024 (A) 03-12-2024
Zimbabwe 19-07-2024 (A) 17-10-2024

Extensions

Portugal

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Macao (<20-12-1999) 28-06-1999 20-12-1999

Parties with reservations, declarations and objections

Party Reservations / Declarations Objections
Austria Yes No
Botswana Yes No
Denmark Yes No
Liechtenstein Yes No
Malawi Yes No
Serbia Yes No

Austria

25-07-1996

The Republic of Austria declares in accordance with article 22 paragraph 2 of the Convention, that it accepts both of the means of dispute settlement mentioned in this paragraph as compulsary in relation to any Party accepting an obligation concerning one or both these means of dispute settlement.

Botswana

20-01-2026

… for purposes of Article 22(2) of the Convention, the Republic of Botswana declares that for any dispute not resolved in accordance with Article 22(1), it accepts as compulsory means of dispute settlement in relation to a Party accepting the same obligation, the submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice; and Arbitration in accordance with the procedure set out in Annex IV to the Convention.

Denmark

28-05-1997

With reservation of application to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Liechtenstein

19-11-1997

Liechtenstein declares in accordance with article 22 paragraph 2 of the Convention, that it accepts both of the means of dispute settlement mentioned in this paragraph as compulsary in relation to any Party accepting an obligation concerning one or both these means of dispute settlement.

Malawi

26-08-2026

1. The Republic of Malawi understands and declares that nothing in the Convention, and in particular no obligation to cooperate, notify, consult, share data, or jointly manage transboundary watercourses, shall be construed as affecting, modifying, prejudicing, or creating any right in derogation of the territorial sovereignty or sovereign rights of Malawi over its territory, including the waters, bed, and subsoil of Lake Malawi insofar as they fall within Malawian territory as determined by applicable rules of international boundary law.
2. The Republic of Malawi further declares that its accession to, and cooperation under, the Convention shall not in any manner be construed as an admission, acknowledgement, or recognition of the territorial or boundary claims of any other State with respect to Lake Malawi or any other shared water body, and shall not prejudice or affect the conduct or outcome of any bilateral or multilateral process for the resolution of boundary questions concerning such water bodies.
3. The Republic of Malawi declares that the establishment of any joint body, commission, or mechanism pursuant to the Convention in relation to Lake Malawi or any watercourse adjacent to a disputed boundary shall be without prejudice to Malawi’s territorial and boundary positions, and the terms of reference of any such body shall not be construed as resolving or foreclosing any question of territorial sovereignty or boundary delimitation.
4. This Declaration is made pursuant to Article 3 of the Convention, which affirms that the Convention does not affect existing treaties or agreements. and is consistent with the general principle of treaty interpretation affirmed in Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969), which requires that account be taken of all relevant rules of international law applicable in the relations between the Parties, including the rules governing territorial sovereignty and boundary delimitation.

Serbia

27-08-2010

In accordance with Article 22 paragraph 2 of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, the Republic of Serbia declares that, for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of the Article 22, it accepts both means of dispute settlement in the manner and under the conditions referred to in Article 22 paragraphs 2 and 3.

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