Water Diplomacy: Sharing Benefits

Program Overview

Approximately 70% of the Arab region’s water, whether rivers, aquifers or seas, are shared across international borders. For conflict to be avoided, these resources need to be managed and allocated for the shared benefits of all. To address this issue, this program has been designed to support the development of knowledge and skills in areas such as international water law and agreements, geopolitics, diplomacy, negotiations, communications, and ideas of benefit sharing.

Extended Program - September 2010 to January 2011
Please download the Water Diplomacy Program Brochure and the application form in English

Program Objectives

1. Prepare leaders to operate in a complex political economy as facilitators of reform, change or transformation

2. Understand the principles of international water law, and apply strategies that lead to successful agreements between countries on sharing water resources

3. Learn and apply diplomatic methods as a means of reducing risks of conflicts over water and expanding thinking of benefits beyond water and economics

4. Enhance skills through the mastering of techniques of influencing, negotiations, mediation, facilitation and communications

5. Appreciate the importance of “authentic diplomacy” as a means of reducing risks of conflicts over water, and expand the pool of economic, social, political and environmental benefits across parties.

Program Implementation

Three modules of five days each (15 days total) in Abu Dhabi.

Module I: 26 - 30 September 2010
Module II: 28 November - 02 December 2010
Module III: 23 - 27 January 2011