Publication

This publication focuses on how water can act as a catalyst for instability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which is the most water-scarce region in the world. The report identifies several mechanisms through which water can have this effect, including 1) by becoming a primary cause of conflict, migration and state collapse; 2) by instigating and/or intensifying domestic social unrest; or 3) by causing transboundary conflicts as people migrate in the search of water. The text’s author also examines how the failure to implement effective policies to address water scarcity exacerbates the risk of conflict and presents several case studies to highlight current trends.