cascao evora sharing transboundary waters power mena region
TRANSCRIPT
Sharing transboundary waters in the context of asymmetrical power relations:
lessons from the MENA region
ANA ELISA CASCÃOKCL /London Water Research Group
UNESCO-IHP HELP PROGRAM SEMINAR Évora, 24-26 June 2009
MENA region: 3 major MENA region: 3 major transboundary river basinstransboundary river basins
Nile
JordanTigris-Euphrates
NILE BASINNILE BASIN10 riparian states
JORDAN BASINJORDAN BASIN5 riparian states
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES TIGRIS-EUPHRATES BASINBASIN
3 riparian states
COMPLEX HYDROLOGY
COMPLEX [HYDRO]POLITICS
MENA river basins: MENA river basins:
Power AsymmetriesPower Asymmetries
GeographyMaterial power
Bargaining power
Ideationalpower
4 PILLARS OF POWER
Zeitoun and Warner, 2006
London Water Research Group
MENA river basins: MENA river basins: Asymmetric power relationsAsymmetric power relations
EGYPTSUDANETHIOPIA
Geography
Geography
GeographyMaterial
power
Material power
Material power
Bargaining power
Bargaining power
Bargaining power
Ideationalpower
Ideationalpower
Ideationalpower
TURKEY
Bargaining power
Ideationalpower
SYRIA
Geography
Material power
Bargaining power
Ideationalpower
IRAQ
GeographyMaterial
powerBargaining
powerIdeational
power
Nile Basin
Tigris-Euphrates Basin
GeographyMaterial
power
MENA Basins: Hydropolitics vs. IWRMAMENA 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)
MENA Basins: Hydropolitics and KnowledgeMENA 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
MENA Basins: MENA Basins: Science, Policy and ManagementScience, Policy and Management
POWERASYMMETRIES
Science
Policy
Management
OVER-POLITICISATIONOF TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENT
AND ALLOCATION
Some conclusions...Some conclusions...
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
POWERASYMMETRIES
OVER-POLITICISATION
Thanks for your attention!