Transboundary Water Cooperation over the Jordan River Basin

Water conflict and cooperation surrounding riparian countries among the Jordan River has been one of the most contentious issues in the Middle East, at times leading to the use of military force. This report, an output of the project ‘Water Diplomacy: Making Water Cooperation Work‘, explores the factors that influence transboundary water cooperation and water governance over the lower part of the Jordan River basin.

Challenges in water cooperation in this region are particularly urgent in the lower part of the Jordan River basin, where there has been a shift in territory and power, closely linked to the management of, and contention over, water. Access to clean and sufficient water is critical in the Middle East, not only for human health, the environment and economic development, but also for establishing stability and sustaining peace.

While there are many studies analyzing current water contention over the lower part of the Jordan River, there is a gap in a comprehensive analysis of factors affecting various cooperation taking place within the basin, linking analysis to future potential areas of cooperation. This report is the result of a research project aimed at filling this gap.

Five key cooperation action situations that take place within the lower portion of the Jordan River basin are analyzed in this report. The analysis was conducted using the Multi-Track Water Diplomacy Framework as the core of its analysis. These analyses, along with existing proposals for possible future solutions, were used to develop the Zone of Possible Effective Cooperation (ZOPEC) for the lower part of the Jordan River Basin.

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