Water Diplomacy: Shared water, dialogue and cooperation
Shared waters.
Shared futures.
Rivers and aquifers do not follow political borders. Yet the ways they are governed can shape relationships between countries, communities and generations. We explore how shared water challenges can become opportunities for dialogue, cooperation and collective action.
Water connects us. Its governance should too.
Water is one of the most important shared resources in international relations. From transboundary rivers to underground aquifers, water systems connect countries and communities through shared environments, livelihoods and responsibilities.
Across regions such as the Middle East, growing pressures on water resources raise difficult questions about access, allocation, governance and cooperation. These challenges are not simply technical. They are also political, social and deeply connected to the lives of people on the ground.
Through our Water Diplomacy initiative, we aim to create opportunities for dialogue between those who study, govern and depend on shared water resources.
We believe shared water resources should be a starting point for cooperation, not simply a source of competition.
Creating spaces for meaningful water diplomacy.
We are developing a programme of engagement that brings together different perspectives, connects research with practice and explores practical pathways towards cooperation.
Water Diplomacy Roundtables
Bringing together diplomats, policymakers, researchers, practitioners and community representatives through focused roundtables on shared water challenges. Exploring opportunities for regional dialogue, confidence-building and cross-border cooperation.
Youth & Community Dialogue
Creating opportunities for young people and communities whose livelihoods depend on shared water resources to contribute to wider discussions. Connecting local experiences with academic, diplomatic and policy perspectives.
Dialogue-to-Action Briefings
Turning discussions into accessible insights, research outputs and policy recommendations. Capturing key challenges, areas of agreement and practical opportunities for future collaboration.
From dialogue to meaningful action.
Bringing people into the same room is only the beginning. We want conversations to contribute to a wider process of learning, cooperation and practical engagement.
Listen & understand
Identify the challenges facing communities and countries sharing water resources. Begin with lived experiences, local knowledge and existing research.
Bring perspectives together
Convene researchers, young people, community representatives and decision-makers to exchange knowledge and explore different perspectives.
Identify opportunities for cooperation
Explore areas of common interest, shared priorities and potential approaches to improving water governance and regional collaboration.
Translate ideas into outcomes
Develop briefings, recommendations, research collaborations and future engagement opportunities that can inform wider policy discussions.
The people behind the water must be part of the conversation.
Water diplomacy cannot take place exclusively between governments and institutions. The people whose lives, livelihoods and futures depend on shared water resources must have a meaningful role in shaping these discussions.
Farmers, Indigenous peoples, local water users, young people and grassroots organisations hold knowledge that is essential to understanding how water is accessed, managed and experienced in practice.
Our commitment is to connect bottom-up knowledge with institutional decision-making. This means involving communities in defining the questions, contributing to discussions and shaping the recommendations that emerge from our work.
Where we want to make a difference.
Our work will explore the political, environmental and human dimensions of shared water governance, with a particular interest in water challenges across the Middle East and neighbouring regions.
Transboundary Rivers & Aquifers
Understanding the governance of shared water systems, competing demands and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.
Regional Diplomacy & Dialogue
Exploring how diplomatic engagement, confidence-building and institutional cooperation can support shared approaches to water management.
Climate Change & Water Governance
Examining how changing rainfall patterns, drought, environmental pressures and water insecurity affect regional relationships and local livelihoods.
Communities, Livelihoods & Access
Understanding how water governance affects everyday life, agricultural livelihoods, local economies and equitable access to resources.
Better water futures begin with better conversations.
We are developing this initiative with the aim of building meaningful partnerships between communities, universities, researchers, civil society organisations and policymakers. We welcome opportunities to collaborate, exchange knowledge and contribute to discussions on shared water challenges.
AN INITIATIVE IN DEVELOPMENT · WATER & SECURITY