January 30, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Water diplomacy is key to building trust: Water diplomacy is deteriorating in the MENA region, but if the appropriate forum is provided and there is sufficient political will, states can resolve their water disputes through sustained diplomacy.
Arab countries are often at a disadvantage in water diplomacy: Most major rivers in the Arab region (including the three biggest: the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates) originate outside the region, giving downstream Arab countries little control or leverage over the flow of these rivers.
Upstream countries should not see water allocation as a zero-sum game: States such as Türkiye and Ethiopia are better served by long-term stability reached through compromise with their downstream neighbors than unilateral action, which often causes animosity.
Desalination cannot replace freshwater resources: Despite advances in desalination technology, it cannot replace rivers, lakes, and aquifers, which will remain vital for meeting long-term agricultural and industrial water demand. Therefore, these freshwater resources must be managed sustainably.
/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/How%20to%20prevent%20water%20wars%20in%20the%20MENA%20Region.pdf
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January 30, 2025download
Key Takeaways
Water diplomacy is key to building trust: Water diplomacy is deteriorating in the MENA region, but if the appropriate forum is provided and there is sufficient political will, states can resolve their water disputes through sustained diplomacy.
Arab countries are often at a disadvantage in water diplomacy: Most major rivers in the Arab region (including the three biggest: the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates) originate outside the region, giving downstream Arab countries little control or leverage over the flow of these rivers.
Upstream countries should not see water allocation as a zero-sum game: States such as Türkiye and Ethiopia are better served by long-term stability reached through compromise with their downstream neighbors than unilateral action, which often causes animosity.
Desalination cannot replace freshwater resources: Despite advances in desalination technology, it cannot replace rivers, lakes, and aquifers, which will remain vital for meeting long-term agricultural and industrial water demand. Therefore, these freshwater resources must be managed sustainably.
/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/How%20to%20prevent%20water%20wars%20in%20the%20MENA%20Region.pdf
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