The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security - Unu-inweh ...

Introduction
In the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region (Figure 1), water scarcity has played a crucial role in shaping people’s
activities, habits and lifestyles, as well as social and economic growth. The great rivers of the region, among which are the
Nile, Euphrates, Tigris, and Jordan rivers, have hosted some of the earliest civilizations on earth. The people of the region
have shown their resilience and adaptation to the harsh climatic conditions throughout history. However, climatic factors have
been influential in inciting regional disparity, disunity and conflict, as well as in the demise of great civilisations (Hashemi,
2011). These problems have been aggravated by a lack of good governance (i.e. a lack of transparency, accountability and
empowerment of citizens) leading to a considerable disparity in terms of political, economic and social aspects within
nation states in the region (WANA Forum, 2011).
Figure 1. The West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region (in dark green).
Climate change and variability, being a major element in the water stress formula, will only degenerate this already waterstressed
region further into severe water stress conditions, which will have implications in terms of food insecurity and
political and social unrest. Hashemi (2012) asserts that “physical water scarcity is partially induced by human behavior as
well as being affected by natural phenomena like droughts since there are some empirical evidences that climate change
is induced by human lifestyle because of greenhouse gas emissions” (Hashemi, 2012: 30). Across the ‘Arc of Crisis’, that
is, from Somalia, Sudan and Egypt in Africa to Yemen, Iraq, and Syria in the Middle East, water scarcity has already led
to drought and famine, the loss of livelihoods, the spread of water-borne diseases, forced migrations and open conflict
(WANA Forum, 2010b). Water scarcity is closely linked to food and health security, making better water management
a key stepping stone for poverty reduction and economic growth. There is a need for an integrated approach to water,
hunger, climate change, health and poverty, with a view to averting future conflict with concentric circles of cooperation
(Bin Talal, 2010).
Another challenge is that the persistent reduction in the region’s ecosystems to provide services such as food, water
and other necessities are leading to an increased deterioration in the well-being of people. In the WANA region, policies
at the national and regional levels must address the relevant questions that need to be answered in order to ensure
water security; these policies should be designed to create opportunities for the people based on adaptive management
approaches and enhancement of people’s resilience to cope with water scarcity while maintaining their dignity. The
effective mainstreaming of water policies is urgently needed and should address these challenges within the larger context
of social and economic development.
Water and Political Security: Conflict in West Asia and North Africa
Part 1
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