August 30, 2020
Eng. Maysoon Al Zoubi - International Water and Water Diplomacy Expert at Arab Dar for Engineers
The MENA is a highly fragmented region, plagued with overall political instability and a looming water crisis. COVID-19 pandemic added an additional dimension with a range of social and economic impacts, putting substantial constraints on daily Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in the region. The link between limiting COVID-19 transmission and access to water and hygiene is crucial, as handwashing with soap and water is key for protection against the virus (WHO, 2020). As the most water stressed region in the world, the increase in water demand for household and national food production – as a result of the outbreak – will place increasing pressures on already stressed water systems. There is no more urgent time to address the MENA’s water crisis than now when people are constantly being reminded to use water to combat the spread of the virus.
Currently, MENA countries are grappling with the economic hardships engendered by the pandemic, and have started to slowly ease lockdown measures to revive their economies. In light of these events, COVID-19 should act as a stark reminder for nations of the coming of more destructive impacts brought about by increasing water scarcity.
A recent policy brief by ESCWA flagged that over 74 million people in the Arab world are at higher risk of contracting the virus due to a lack of access to proper hygiene facilities. In addition, the MENA is home to more than 26 million refugees and internally displaced people, who are also at higher risk of contracting the virus (ESCWA, 2020).
In a region already widespread with security concerns, destabilization, and the current and continuing revolutions originating from the Arab Spring, the maintenance and protection of water resources continues to compete for the attention of national leaders. Within this regional setting, Jordan is a prime country to examine due to its even more terrible lack of fresh water resources as compared with its regional neighbors that are more blessed with water or have the wealth to create it with desalination technology. Jordan has hosted several waves of refugees, displaced persons, and returnees because of the prolonged conflict in the Middle East that have significantly contributed to the abnormal population increases. No country acting alone can solve regional problems. Mutual effort and cooperation are required. But time is short. The water situation in the Arab Region is close to a state of crisis… The urgent need for greater water-use efficiency in the region, development of more efficient crops and methodologies, sustainable use and management of surface and ground water; and communication among those who determine water policy in countries tapping shared River is highly recommended.
Voluntary, Forced Migrations and Expats received by Jordan
One of the greatest challenges of our time is how to transform water from a potential source of crisis into a potential instrument of cooperation. The issue, that we must look at water as an instrument of cooperation. We have to bear in mind that it could be a potential source of crisis but we have to find a way to convert it from potential source of crisis to potential instrument of cooperation. Clever maneuvering can circumvent differences and instead lead to better cooperation which is the pathway for peace-building.
Why Trans-boundary Water Cooperation?
- Approximately 300 transboundary ground water resources
- 263 transboundary rivers and lakes in 145 countries
- 40% of global population living in the transboundary basin
- Transboundary watershed covers half of global surface area
COVID-19 pandemic is giving a chance to the whole world to reshuffle and rethink its development models and protectionist models. COVID-19 has put some light on the need for WASH. However, running into solutions is risky and may result of losing the opportunity to do something more integrated.
To resolve water conflicts negotiation, mediation, and conciliation are needed. To be successful, though, such processes must be rooted in an in-depth contextual understanding. Third-party and multi-track diplomacy is critical to maintaining, particularly when formal negotiations between conflicting parties have come to a halt. It is important to show that a peaceful diplomatic solution to vital contested issues is still possible. However, the key challenge to arriving at a peaceful solution is the lack of capacity to deal with complexity and uncertainty related to conflict and cooperation over water resources.
Benefit Sharing Approach
“A focus on sharing the benefits derived from the use of water rather than the allocation of water itself, provides far greater scope for identifying mutually beneficial cooperative actions” Sadof and grey, 2005.
It worth mentioning that while the anticipated future scenarios for the water sector are generally conflict-prone if the current trends continue, there are also opportunities for cooperation.
Sources:
ESCWA. 2020. 74 million in the Arab region at risk of COVID-19 due to lack of access to a handwashing facility. Last accessed August 26, 2020. Link: https://www.unescwa.org/news/escwa-74-million-arab-region-risk-covid-19-due-lack-access-handwashing-facility
UN Water. 2020. Transboundary Waters. Last accessed: August 26, 2020. Link: https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/transboundary-waters/
