Water: a vital resource for peace. Will water come automatically for this?

Water, which is the basic element of life on Earth, is a very special natural resource that is in constant demand for humanity and other living things and cannot be replaced by anything else. Due to these characteristics and their unequal distribution on the world surface, tensions and conflicts have occurred between countries due to the management and use of water resources. In addition to these conflicts, it is also known that water cooperation plays a critical role in ensuring peace and stability and is a unifying force when managed correctly. However, it is also important to know that peace will not come automatically with water cooperation and that many steps must be taken together for this.

Water is a natural resource with very complex characteristics that involves various geographical, economic, ecological and social problems. Factors such as climate change, water scarcity, water pollution and unequal distribution of water make water management even more complex. Increasing pressures on water also increase the risk of disputes and conflicts regarding water resources in transboundary water basins, where approximately 40% of the world's population lives. In particular, disputes between riparian countries regarding water pollution and water sharing sometimes cause regional instability.

However, water also has a key role in establishing and maintaining peace. Sustainable and equitable management of water resources can help prevent conflict and promote reconciliation. In other words; Collaborations on the management of transboundary or border-forming water resources can increase trust between countries and encourage interdependence.

Water Safety

Water security is a concept necessary to ensure that people have access to clean drinking water and healthy living conditions and should be considered the most fundamental element of peace and stability in a country and region. Lack of water security can increase social and economic vulnerability, as well as the risk of tension and conflict between sectors, communities and countries. When managed correctly, water resources can help promote peaceful solutions, enhance regional cooperation, and increase stability and security. Therefore, considering water as a means of cooperation, effectively managing and protecting it in transboundary water basins is of critical importance in order to leave a world of peace and prosperity to future generations.

World Water Day theme: Water for peace!

The concept of "Water for Peace", the theme of this year's World Water Day, at first glance creates the idea that there will be no peace without access to more water. But the opposite is also true: without peace, water will be threatened and its benefits will be very limited. That's why we need to see how conflicts in Libya, Yemen and Ukraine are hindering the use of water

On the first official World Water Day, on March 22, 1993, more than 21% of people did not have access to safe drinking water. Today, despite hundreds of billions of dollars of investment in water, sanitation and hygiene, 2.2 billion people – or approximately 27% of the 8.1 billion people on the planet – still do not have access to safe drinking water.

The theme of this year's World Water Day is water for peace or using water for peace. In fact, historical competition for water resources goes back thousands of years and has its roots in the settlement of human societies. Water is also seen as a potential starting point for peacebuilding. But here we need to point out that peace will not come naturally with water cooperation. If joint resource management and water diplomacy will contribute to relations between riparian countries or water user groups, actors such as universities, non-governmental organizations, media, some international organizations will also need to carefully prepare the conditions that promote this peace.

Water Diplomacy

Water diplomacy is a set of strategies and techniques used to resolve conflicts regarding the management and use of water resources. Water diplomacy encourages dialogue and negotiation between various parties and seeks common solutions to achieve compromise. International organizations, non-governmental organizations and scientists can contribute to the fair and sustainable management of water resources by working in the field of water diplomacy.

Additionally, water-related technical cooperation and infrastructure projects can also promote regional cooperation. Projects such as joint dams, water treatment plants, irrigation systems and flood control can increase trust among riparian countries and encourage efforts to share the benefits of water.

In this context, technical water cooperation efforts between riparian countries should be accompanied by political will and a broader understanding of cooperation. For this purpose, technical studies initiated and cooperation efforts in other fields should be integrated with diplomatic initiatives. Thus, the trust environment that can be created through cooperation at the technical level can be spread to other policy areas.

Many other conditions must also be met for water cooperation to go beyond the limited technical cooperation of merely exchanging data between riparian countries and contribute to peace and stability in a sustainable manner.

Riparian countries aiming to cooperate in water management can contribute to peace only if they have a common political will, a common goal and a common alliance for this purpose. However, if we look at the issue more generally, water will make its greatest contribution to global peace and stability when it provides food security and access to clean drinking water for the poorest segments of the world's population.