Rapid development, driven by oil exploration, infrastructure projects, dams and a growing fishing industry affect water resources. Furthermore, the area has seen an influx of people from Ethiopia, South Sudan and other parts of Kenya, who compete with the local population for the already scarce water resources. These developments take place in a context of high fragility with a history of local intercommunal conflicts. Due to its remote location from central governments, the basin faces institutional, logistical and capacity constraints. The diverse communities living in the region rely on livelihoods like pastoralism, that heavily depend on ecosystem services and are thus vulnerable to changes in water and ecosystems.

In 2021, the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) partnership undertook a feasibility and scoping exercise to understand opportunities to engage in the Omo-Gibe-Turkana Basin and conducted consultative interviews with government representatives, civil society organizations (CSO), non-governmental organizations and international stakeholders working in the region. Based on this consultative process, WPS developed separate project plans for engagement with Kenya and Ethiopia. A participatory water-related conflict analysis in Turkana Central and Turkana North will also be conducted, to develop a deep understanding of conflict dynamics and stakeholder roles. The exercise actively involves key stakeholders from the area to enhance a common understanding of and dialogue around conflict dynamics.

This description was originally published on the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnership’s website. The full description can be found here.

Contact person and email:

info@waterpeacesecurity.org

@WaterPeaceSec

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