Page 19 - report_A Matter of Survival

A Matter of Survival

Armed Conflicts focused on navigation, but later evolved into more complex and
systematic regulations of water economics and ecology. In our
Water shortages produce a variety of negative influences on era, the Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin (2002)
international peace and security. Most of these are readily established the first multilateral framework for the countries of
identified, and range from direct confrontation over water and the former Yugoslavia, following the war in the region. Water
use of water resources as instruments of intimidation to more served as a driver of peace.
indirect consequences. Droughts in one part of the world, for
instance, can lead to rising food prices and the deterioration A Driver of Peace
of socio-economic conditions in other parts of the world, thus
exacerbating tensions and triggering conflicts. Established water cooperation systems in shared river basins
are an important feature of international cooperation and of
There is a clear link between water shortage and violence; water the pursuit for solutions to water problems. Some of them,
shortage has been an essential factor leading to armed conflicts like the European examples mentioned above, were the result
in many cases. In Syria, a protracted period of drought and a of armed conflicts. Others, such as the Shared River Basins
sinking water table in the eastern part of the country caused a Agreement between Portugal and Spain (Albufeira Agreement
substantial displacement of the population to urban areas in the of 1998) came into being through political foresight and sound
western regions. This migration provoked social turmoil that led decision making.
to the outbreak of hostilities. In Yemen both the crisis and the
armed conflict were fueled by a severe and life-disrupting water Some transboundary water cooperation systems have proven
shortage. In Darfur water has been one of the main causes of the to be very effective. The Senegal River Basin Development
armed conflict. Organization (OMVS - Organisation pour la mise en valeur
du fleuve Sénégal), involving Senegal, Guinea, Mali and
Many transboundary water basins are located in areas marked Mauritania, was established in 1972, following both a long
by interstate tensions and, in some places, armed conflicts, both history of cooperation through navigation, irrigation and power
among, and within States. Although water, historically, has rarely production on the river, as well as occasional political tension
been the direct cause of armed conflicts, the future may not and experience with natural disasters. OMVS is currently
resemble the past since the population continues to grow. Water an example of a comprehensive, institutionally-developed
shortages and tensions over water quality can spiral into armed management system of an international watercourse, which
conflict and war. In recent years, water has been increasingly has proved an effective instrument of cooperation among
used as a weapon of war by non-state actors, such as in Darfur, neighboring States. Several cooperation arrangements between
Somalia, Iraq and Syria. countries in North and South America and parts of Asia also
serve as good examples.
Dire warnings have been expressed in the past decades by
Secretaries-General of the UN. On the occasion of World Water Water cooperation can be an important factor in strengthening
Day in 2002, Kofi Annan warned that “fierce national competition political stability and peace. In a 2015 publication titled “Water
over water resources has prompted fears that water issues Cooperation Quotient,” the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG), a
contain the seeds of violent conflict.” He went on to say: “If the think tank based in Mumbai, India, suggests the following water
entire world’s peoples work together, a secure and sustainable and war equation: “Any two countries engaged in active water
water future can be ours.” cooperation do not go to war for any reason.” A water cooperation
quotient is a way to measure the intensity of transboundary
His successor, Ban Ki-moon, addressing the UN General water cooperation and its correlation with maintaining peace
Assembly, said on 6 February 2008: “Many of today’s conflicts and stability between cooperating countries.
around the world are being fueled or exacerbated by water
shortages and climate change is only making the situation Although experience with existing systems of transboundary
worse.” He also pointed out that “water is a classic common water cooperation allows us to be optimistic regarding the
property resource. No one really owns the problem. Therefore, future of such cooperation, the number of these systems is still
no one really owns the solution.” relatively small. There are 286 transboundary river (and lake)
basins in the world, involving 148 States. Only 84 of these basins
Collective efforts are clearly needed, as the UN Secretaries- have joint water management bodies, and many of these are not
General have emphasized. In situations where water has been considered effective. The number of shared aquifers without joint
among the major drivers of armed conflict, it will be necessary management bodies – more than 400 – is significantly higher.
to include a solution to the water issues in peace strategies. There is a clear need to strengthen cooperation among riparian
Durable and sustainable peace is not likely to last without an countries in these shared water basins and aquifers, both to
effective solution to the water problem. For centuries, water foster development and to strengthen peace and stability.
cooperation has been an important component of peace Transboundary water cooperation systems are important assets
treaties. Water cooperation has been a part of numerous peace of preventive diplomacy, and instruments for effective global
treaties in Europe: the Rhine and the Danube water cooperation support should be devised to strengthen this cooperation.
systems that exist today are the results of peace agreements Political commitment and support is necessary and appropriate
in Vienna (1815) and in Paris (1856), respectively. They initially financial mechanisms need to be put in place.

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