Hydropolitics in the MENA Region

Hydropolitics in the MENA Region Ana Elisa Cascão King’s College of London Presentation to TWM 2008 MENA 2nd-3rd November 2008 3rd November

2 - International Water Law ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],EXERCISE 2: Nile Basin case – How to apply IWL?

Main international legal frameworks ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],   

UN CONVENTION – MENA’ POSITIONS ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Campaigns for the ratification of UN Convention ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object], World Development Movement World Wildlife Fund

IWL ON THE GROUND MENA Shared Basins and Aquifers No agreement Agreement; although partial or not all-inclusive Agreement informed by IWL principles ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

“ Mission unaccomplished” Agreement; although partial or not all-inclusive     ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Niger River / Lake Chad Agreements ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],1995 Oslo Water Regime (Israel/Palestine) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],1994 Israeli-Jordanian Water Agreement (Israel/Jordan) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],2007 Nile Cooperative Framework Agreement (all Nile riparians) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],1959 Agreement for the Full Utilisation of the Nile Waters (Egypt/Sudan) RELATED PROBLEMS EXAMPLES OF AGREEMENTS

Transboundary Aquifers - “Long way to go” ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],No agreement  

2002 Agreement on Al-Kabir Al-Janoubi River (Lebanon-Syria) Agreement informed by IWL principles Agreement is derived from relevant provisions of international law and, in particular, the United Nations Convention 

[object Object],[object Object],EXERCISE 2: Nile Basin case – how to apply IWL? ,[object Object],[object Object],Article 33: Settlement of disputes ,[object Object],[object Object],Articles 24, 25 and 26: Management and regulation ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Articles 20, 21 and 23: Protection of ecosystems and the marine environment, prevention of pollution ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Articles 8 and 9: General obligation to cooperate, regular exchange of data and information ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Article 7: Obligation not to cause serious Harm ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Articles 5 and 6: Equitable and reasonable utilization and participation and related factors Potential Nile Treaty UN Convention

[object Object],EXERCISE 2: Nile Basin case – how to apply IWL? 7 - The availability of alternatives, of comparable value, to a particular planned or existing use. 6 - Conservation, protection, development and economy of use of the water resources of the watercourse and the costs of measures taken to that effect; 5 - Existing and potential uses of the watercourse; 4 - The effects of the use or uses of the watercourses in one watercourse State on other watercourse States; 3 - The population dependent on the watercourse in each watercourse State; 2 - The social and economic needs of the watercourse States concerned; SOME RELEVANT QUESTIONS: Weight of each factor? Future needs vs. Present uses? Existing vs. Potential uses? Impacts of water utilisation upstream – how to measure? Alternative water resources – within or outside the Basin? 1 - Geographic, hydrographic, hydrological, climatic, ecological and other factors of a natural character; Potential Nile Treaty FACTORS (Art. 6 UN Convention)

Nexus – Water, Law and Politics WATER LAW & POLITICS ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Conclusion ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],3 HYDROPOLITICAL COOPERATION 1 NEXUS WATER AND POLITICS

3 - CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND COOPERATION ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],EXERCISE 3: If I was a donor…

Transboundary river basins: Conflict or Cooperation?  CONFLICT   COOPERATION  CONFLICT ? COOPERATION ? Reality is not Black & White ! Conflict and Cooperation Co-exist Mirumachi 2007 HOW? 

Diplomatic conflict, not war! Wolf et al 2003 Diplomatic, strong or mild verbal official hostility Conflict resolution: Political and diplomatic 

Typical conflictive situation Typical conflictive situation Riparian A Riparian B Deadlock ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Cooperation – Overcoming the deadlocks Deadlock COOPERATION How? Capacity- Building Information Sharing Applied Training Stakeholder Involvement Shared Vision Joint Projects Benefit- Sharing Legal and Institutional Frameworks Socio-econ. development River Basin Organisation (RBO)

Main cooperative attempts in the MENA region     ... ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Israeli–Jordanian Joint Water Committee (just Israel and Jordan) Currently no donors support projects not licensed through the JWC ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Israeli–Palestinian Joint Water Committee (just aquifers, not Jordan River) UNESCO, Private Sector, Universities ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Euphrates-Tigris Initiative for Cooperation (not governmental, just civil society of 4 riparians) Tigris-Euphrates Basin United States, France, EU, the Netherland, Canada ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],EXACT (3 riparians) Jordan Basin International Atomic Energy Agency, UNDP, GEF, UNESCO ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System Project (all 4 riparians) Nubian Aquifer World Bank, UNDP, Denmark, European Commission, France, ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Lake Chad Basin Commission (5 riparians) (Algeria, Sudan and Libya not members) Lake Chad World Bank, UNDP, African Devel. Bank, Canada, European Commission, France, US ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Niger Basin Authority (9 riparians) (Algeria is not member) Niger World Bank, UNDP, African Development Bank, FAO, GEF, Canada, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, US ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Nile Basin Initiative (all 10 riparians) Nile Donors Main achievements Initiative Basin

[object Object],[object Object],EXERCISE 3: If I was a donor… Capacity- Building Information Sharing Applied Training Stakeholder Involvement Shared Vision Joint Projects Benefit- Sharing Legal and Institutional Frameworks

Cooperation is as political as water BASIN/ AQUIFER Multiple stakeholders, positions, decision-making layers, strategies, external actors, ... Multilateral Donor Bilateral Donor Civil Society Riparian C Riparian B Riparian A

Thanks for your attention [email_address]

Hydropolitics in the MENA Region

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