Water and Security

1. Water and Security Hans Olav Ibrekk Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

2. Outline of Presentation • Stage-setting: • Water Problems and Challenges • Conflicts in International River Basins • Examples of Water ”Wars” • Key Lessons - Global Experience • How to Move Forward • Conclusions From a water management point of view Side/Page

3. Critical Problems • Too Much or Too Little Water • Floods • Droughts • Poor Distribution • Famine • Poor Quality • Health Hazard • Poor Management • Competition • Conflicts Side/Page

4. What Are the Main Challenges Ahead? Risks - Water Security A DELICATE BALANCE Water for LIVELIHOOD Water as a RESOURCE Water and sanitation for PEOPLE Rainfall and irrigation water for FOOD Water for the ecological functions of ECOSYSYEMS maintaining the RESOURCE BASE, both surface and groundwater - and biodiversity …while…. Side/Page

5. International River Basins – 260+ basins Less than 100 have cooperative arrangements Side/Page

6. Water – A Catalyst for Cooperation • First international water treaties date as far back as 2500 BC - two Sumerian city-states of Lagash and Umma - ended a water dispute along the Tigris River; • 3600 international water treaties dating from ad 805 to 1984; • Since 1945 – 37 incidents of acute conflicts (30 of these between Israel and one of its neighbors): • Same time almost 300 international water agreements. Side/Page

7. Water ”Wars” since WWII - Examples • 1948 – Indus – India and Pakistan on the ”brink of war” – Disputes over irrigation – Indus Treaty in 1960; • January -- April 1958. Egypt sends an unsuccessful military expedition into territory in dispute with Sudan; • June 1963 -- March 1964. Somalia – Ethiopia. Border skirmishes over disputed territory in Ogaden desert, which includes critical water resources , as well as oil; • April -- August 1975. Syria – Iraq. Iraqis claim that the flow reaching its territory was "intolerable”. In May 1975, Syria closes its airspace to Iraqi flights and both Syria and Iraq reportedly transfer troops to their mutual border; • April 1989 -- July 1991. Senegal – Mauritania. Two Senegalese peasants killed over grazing rights along the Senegal River sparking ethnic and land reform tensions. Side/Page

8. Local/Sub-National Conflicts • Most incidents are at the sub-national level, generally between tribe, water-use sector, or state; • Examples of internal water conflicts are quite prevalent: • Cauvery River in India – inter-state; • California farmers blowing up a pipeline meant for Los Angeles; • Arizona commissioned a navy (made up of one ferry boat) and sent its militia to stop a dam and diversion on the Colorado River in 1934; • Alta; • Expect increase in sub-national conflicts due to more intense competition between water users • Sharing water resources including intersectoral allocation; and • Need for improved governance of water – governing water wisely at all levels. Side/Page

9. Cooperative Efforts under Period of Hostility • Indus - India and Pakistan. During periods of hostility, neither side targeted the water facilities of the other nor attempted to disrupt the negotiated arrangements for water management; • Mekong - Agreement in 1957. Cooperation continued during conflicts, albeit at reduced level. New agreement in 1995; • Israel – Jordan. “Picknic Table Talks”even when they were legally at war; • Pasvik River – Norway and Soviet Union constructed a hydropower plant in the 1960s; Side/Page

10. Key Lessons –Global Experience • Water alone is not a source of conflict, however, it contains the potential for conflict in conjunction and in interaction with other causes. Not likely to lead to war; • Early coordination can help prevent potential conflicts – environment often the entry point for cooperation; • Institutions are resilient over time, even between otherwise hostile riparians, and even when conflict is waged over other issues; • More likely than the occurrence of violent conflict, is the gradual decreasing of water quantity (environment) or quality, or both, which can affect the internal stability, and act as an irritant between ethnic groups, water sectors or states/provinces; and • The greatest threat of the global water crisis to human security comes from the fact that billions of people lack access to sufficient quantities of water at sufficient quality for their well-being and that water is poorly managed. Side/Page

11. How to Move Forward – Cooperative Basin Management • Shared Vision: • Need a common understanding of cooperative management objectives. The importance of trust between parties, willingness to share information and the need for transparency are critical elements in the development of a shared vision. • Political Commitment and Public Support: • Sustained political commitment and broad based public support are crucial to achieve success; • Broad Based Partnerships: • Partnerships can expedite the move from planning to implementation; • Environmental Management: • Should be integrated into cooperative programs; • Conflict resolution mechanisms. Side/Page

12. Conclusions • Disagreements over water can make good relations bad and bad relations worse; • Water – catalyst for cooperation, not conflict! • Water alone is not a source of conflict, however, it contains the potential for conflict in conjunction and in interaction with other causes; • Water is poorly managed; • Need for cooperative management of shared water resources – environment entry point; and • Best guarantee for sustainable and “optimal” water management are appropriate institutions, both at national and basin level. Side/Page

13. Thank you! Side/Page