Water Diplomacy: Building Bridges, Not Walls

Rivers have always been the backbone of human settlements, nurturing communities and fostering trade. They provide water for drinking, agriculture, and industry, making them indispensable to the national economies. For example, the Mekong River is vital to Southeast Asian countries, while the Nile River supports millions of people in Egypt and Sudan.

Illustration by The Geostrata

These rivers not only sustain life but also fuel economic growth, creating interdependencies that transcend national boundaries. As a result, any disruption in their flow can have far-reaching consequences, affecting everything from food security to energy production; thus, making them strategic diplomatic assets in the international arena. These transboundary rivers can boost the communication between nations and lead to peaceful transactions of flowing water.​

According to TFDD (Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database), there are 286 transboundary rivers globally, shared by 153 countries, which cover 47% of the land area and support 40% of the world's population. Unfortunately, only a fifth of countries have cross-border agreements to jointly manage shared water resources equitably.

CONFLICTS OVER SHARED WATERS

​Recent studies on water diplomacy consist of political, legal, and diplomatic battles between the countries sharing rivers. The Teesta River, for example, is crucial for irrigation in both India as well as Bangladesh. But a sharing agreement has been pending since 1983, leading to unresolved political tension.

Similarly, the Nile crosses multiple borders, but Ethiopia's GERD (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) triggered disputes with downstream Egypt in 2011. Though colonial-era treaties gave Egypt historical rights, Ethiopia rejected them, thus leading to political skirmishes.

MODELS OF SUCCESSFUL RIVER COOPERATION

Cooperation over transboundary rivers can generate multiple economic, social, environmental, and political benefits that, in return, would deliver peace and prosperity at local, national, and global levels. Water can bring countries together and promote peace and prosperity by providing common livelihood, development, and cost-sharing opportunities that may exceed those generated by unilateral action.

Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal / Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea) is regarded as the model for cooperation as countries treat water infrastructure as jointly owned, not just by nationality.

They focus on benefits (water and energy distributed fairly) rather than just dividing water volumes, and large projects like dams are owned and operated collectively. Even during the 1989 Mauritania-Senegal border war, OMVS continued functioning.​

REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK

Regional corporations offer a promising path forward for managing International rivers. By working together, countries can pool resources, share knowledge, and develop joint strategies for addressing common challenges.

The successful cooperation between countries sharing the Danube River, the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), demonstrates the importance of establishing stronger Institutions and frameworks for collaboration, such as water quality, pollution control, flood management, and navigation.

By cooperating and leveraging technology, prioritising environmental protection, nations can ensure the sustainable and equitable use of international rivers. Water sharing projects accelerate efficient use of technology, making challenges into opportunities for new, sustainable solutions. 

Rhine River Restoration (Europe, ICPR) led by Switzerland, France, Germany, Netherlands, jointly advanced water treatment, restored biodiversity, and let it transform from the “sewer of Europe” to one of its cleanest rivers.

GLOBAL TREATIES AND THE ROLE OF THE UN WATER CONVENTION

​A significant United Nations treaty, the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), was established in 1992 to foster cooperation on transboundary water resources worldwide. It came up with the vision to manage shared waters collectively and sustainability, aiming to mitigate risk and prevent potential conflicts over these common resources.

Around 130 countries worldwide participate in the convention’s activities. Between 2015 and 2022, approximately 85 countries participated in on-the-ground activities under the convention. Around 100 International organisations and NGOs are partners to the water convention.

It led to many significant water agreements, such as the 1999 convention on protection of the Rhine, the 2017 convention for the prevention of conflict related to the management of shared water resources in Central, and the 2018 water charter for the Volta river Basin.

This would surely help prevent “water wars” and instead foster regional integration and trust-building. The Convention today acts as a peace and sustainability tool, helping countries manage shared water, avoid disputes, adapt to climate change, and ensure long-term water security.​

TOWARD A GLOBAL CULTURE OF WATER-BASED PEACE

Hydro-diplomacy is a crucial part of the international arena where amity and solidarity become necessary.

Negotiations over shared rivers can yield fair outcomes, leading nations to resolve other disagreements through discussion rather than hostility.

This would create a domino effect where dialogue replaces distrust and compromise replaces confrontation. Even history shows cooperation is not just theoretical but practical.

The Indus Water Treaty (1960) signed between India and Pakistan survived wars, jihadist terror attacks, and political crises. The Senegal River Basin Treaty brought together countries in West Africa despite chronic instability. Over time, such cooperation over water would lead to a global culture of cooperation that extends far beyond rivers. Rivers can act as an optimistic diplomacy where even bitter rivals will find reasons to cooperate.

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BY DIKSHA

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com