CIAO DATE: 06/2010
April 2010
United States Institute of Peace
Iraq’s post-conflict struggles for sustainable economic growth and regional stability are undermined in both the short and long term by poor water management in the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Poor regional water management has negative effects on Iraq’s regional political relationships, its economy and its ecology. Despite the severity and urgency of many of these concerns, diplomatic deadlock persists as a result of zero-sum politics, unequal power relationships between regional players, lack of transparency in data sharing, and intragovernmental dynamics. These concerns are best addressed through regional scientific cooperation. This approach should be based on the creation of networks that facilitate collaboration between both technical and diplomatic stakeholders.
Resource link: The Tigris-Euphrates River Basin: A Science Diplomacy Opportunity [PDF] - 230K