Cascao Evora Sharing Transboundary Waters Power Mena Region
1. Sharing transboundary waters
in the context of asymmetrical power relations:
lessons from the MENA region
ANA ELISA CASCÃO UNESCO-IHP HELP PROGRAM SEMINAR
KCL /London Water Research Group Évora, 24-26 June 2009
2. MENA region: 3 major
transboundary river basins
NILE BASIN
10 riparian states
JORDAN BASIN
Nile 5 riparian states
Jordan
Tigris-Euphrates
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES
BASIN
3 riparian states
COMPLEX
COMPLEX
[HYDRO]
HYDROLOGY
POLITICS
3. MENA river basins:
Power Asymmetries
4 PILLARS OF POWER
Material Bargaining Ideational
Geography
power power power
Zeitoun and Warner, 2006
London Water Research Group
4. MENA river basins:
Asymmetric power relations
Nile Basin
ETHIOPIA SUDAN EGYPT
Material Ideational Ideational
Geography
power power power
Bargaining Material Bargaining
Geography
power power power
Material Bargaining Ideational
Geography
power power power
Tigris-Euphrates Basin
TURKEY SYRIA IRAQ
Material Ideational Material Bargaining Ideational
Geography
power power power power power
Bargaining
Geography
power
Material Bargaining Ideational
Geography
power power power
5. MENA Basins: Hydropolitics vs. IWRMA
Strong power asymmetries
Asymmetric water control, distribution and allocation
Political conflicts/volatility
Militarisation/Securitisation of water resources
“Resource capture” strategies
Basin-wide water negotiations and agreements
Inter-riparian confidence and dialogue
Comprehensive transboundary water cooperation
Integrated Water Resources Management and Allocation
(IWRMA)
6. MENA Basins: Hydropolitics and Knowledge
Knowledge, information and institutional [wide] gap
Integration and harmonisation of knowledge and information
Information sharing and exchange across borders
Sanctioning of knowledge, discourse and agenda
Multiple stakeholders involvement
Scientific collaboration across borders
Politicisation of science, models and decision support tools
Decision-making controlled by politicians, not scientists or
technicians
Basin-wide, integrated knowledge and decision-making systems
7. MENA Basins:
Science, Policy and Management
Science
OVER-POLITICISATION
Policy
POWER OF TRANSBOUNDARY
ASYMMETRIES WATER MANAGEMENT
Management
AND ALLOCATION
8. Some conclusions...
POWER OVER-
ASYMMETRIES POLITICISATION
Strong obstacles to:
Meaningful and effective
cooperation
Sound science, policies, and
management
Information and data sharing
systems
Development of dialogue and
linkages between epistemic and
decision-making groups
Comprehensive stakeholders
involvement
Fair negotiations of legal
agreements based on
international water law principles