Solving water problems has been identified as a topic of common interest to Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians. The implementation of joint water-related projects is therefore seen as a hopeful sign and related projects have received substantial funding from the international donor community. Theoretical considerations support the thesis that cooperation over water resources could act as a pathway for building peace. A new case study prepared by Adelphi Research within the EC-funded Initiative for Peacebuilding (IfP) seeks to deepen the understanding of how the peacebuilding effects of such cooperation can best be harnessed, supported and sustained. The case study analyses two existing initiatives promoting water cooperation between Jordanians, Israelis and Palestinians: the Good Water Neighbors project initiated by Friends of the Earth Middle East; and the Regional Water Data Banks Project, which promotes data management collaboration between water agencies. The study focuses on the design and implementation of cooperative processes, as both the form and content of cooperation are critical for peacebuilding. Analysis of the two cases provides insights into the challenges of putting environmental peacebuilding into practice at different levels of society. Common challenges identified include: dealing with existing asymmetries, effecting political change, creating relationships and ownership, and dealing with different expectations. One of the main recommendations the report makes is that water cooperation initiatives claiming to promote peace need to spell out how they aim to contribute to peacebuilding and define clear theories of change. (Annika Kramer)

The case study "Regional Water Cooperation and Peacebuilding in the Middle East" is available at http://www.initiativeforpeacebuilding.eu/pdf/Regional_Water_Cooperation_and_Peacebuilding_in_the_Middle_East.pdf

This case study is one of a series within IfP’s cluster on Regional Cooperation on Environment, Economy and Natural Resource Management. A second study focusing on the intersection between the management of non-renewable natural resources and diverse forms of conflict in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru has recently been published. Case studies on the South Caucasus and the Great Lakes Region as well as a cluster synthesis report will follow soon.

For more general information on the Initiative for Peacebuilding please check www.initiativeforpeacebuilding.eu

Published in:ECC-Newsletter, February 2009