Source: UN News Website
Recently, the United Nations World Water Development Report for 2024 was released by the UN Water Mechanism, represented by UNESCO. The report highlights that tensions due to water resource issues are escalating conflicts worldwide. To safeguard peace, countries must enhance cooperation and actively reach cross-border agreements.
As water resources become increasingly scarce, the risk of local or regional conflicts is also rising. UNESCO Director-General Azoulay stated, "If we want to safeguard peace, immediate action is necessary. We must not only protect water resources but also strengthen regional and global cooperation in this field."
Water scarcity affects social stability. A new report released by UNESCO, representing the UN Water Mechanism, shows that to this day, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and 3.5 billion people lack safely managed sanitation facilities. Therefore, the goal of ensuring universal access to these two services by 2030, as set by the United Nations, remains distant, raising concerns that these inequalities may continue to worsen. Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development and Chair of the UN Water Mechanism, said, "When water resources are managed sustainably and equitably, they become a source of peace and prosperity. Water is also the lifeline of agriculture, which is the primary socio-economic driver for hundreds of millions of people."
Between 2002 and 2021, drought affected more than 1.4 billion people. As of 2022, approximately half of the global population faced severe water scarcity at some point during the year, with one-quarter facing "extremely" high water stress, using more than 80% of the locally available renewable freshwater annually. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the frequency and severity of these issues, posing a significant threat to social stability.
Leading to deteriorating living conditions
The direct consequence of water scarcity is deteriorating living conditions, leading to increased food security and health risks. It also hampers social development, particularly for girls and women. In many rural areas, they are primarily responsible for fetching water, a task that consumes several hours each day. Reduced water supply exacerbates this burden, adversely affecting their education, economic participation, and safety. This may also be one of the reasons for the higher dropout rates of secondary school girls compared to boys.
At the same time, the lack of water security is also recognized as one of the reasons for population migration. This migration, in turn, exacerbates water insecurity, putting greater pressure on the water supply systems and resources of the settled areas, thereby intensifying social conflicts. A study conducted in Somalia showed that displacement increased gender-based violence against a particular group by 200%.
Urgent need for cross-border agreements
Water scarcity increases the risk of conflicts. In the Sahel region of Africa, wetland degradation—often caused by unsustainable water development projects—has fueled disputes over water resources and land for production, leading to various tensions.
Although approximately 40% of the global population lives in transboundary river basins, only one-fifth of countries have signed relevant agreements to collaborate fairly in managing these shared resources. Many transboundary basins are located in regions of current or historical international tensions. In the Arab region, seven countries were involved in conflicts in 2021, some of which have lasted for years, negatively impacting potential cooperation on water supply, infrastructure, and water resource issues.
Africa is particularly susceptible to the effects of water-related interstate tensions. Of the 22 countries surveyed in the report, 19 face water shortages, and two-thirds of Africa's freshwater is shared across borders. Among the 106 known transboundary aquifers in Africa, only seven have formally established intergovernmental cooperation.
Progress in multi-regional cooperation
In this context, transboundary water management cooperation appears to be a potent tool for maintaining peace. By creating conditions for regular dialogue among parties and establishing necessary legal frameworks, such cooperation has the potential to resolve most water-related disputes, thereby preventing or exacerbating conflicts on a larger scale.
In 2002, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia signed the Framework Agreement for the Sava River Basin. This was the first development-oriented multilateral agreement in Southeast Europe, laying the groundwork for regional sustainable water management. Today, the agreement has become a crucial factor in maintaining stability in the Sava River Basin and serves as an example for other regions worldwide.
The water level of Lake Chad decreased by 90% over 60 years, posing multiple challenges to the region's economy and security. Fortunately, in recent years, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, and Nigeria have injected new vitality into the Lake Chad Basin Commission. The commission's mandate has been expanded to ensure the most effective use of basin water resources, coordinate local development, and prevent conflicts between countries and local communities. Today, the commission is the best institution to address specific needs in the basin, such as socio-economic development and security.
These two examples highlight a fact: even in complex situations, countries can still develop fair and equitable policies for the use and management of water resources through international cooperation and support from the United Nations system.
