The Role of Diplomacy and International Law in Water-Related Disputes: Case Studies of the Nile River Basin and the Jordan River Basin

Abstract

This research is focused on the influence of diplomacy and International Law in disputes derived from water security and scarcity in the region of Middle East and North Africa. The research analyzes two case studies: The Nile and the Jordan River Basins. Their comparison enables to identify similarities and differences regarding the type of dispute, the number of riparian states, the will to cooperate, the relations between countries within the basins and the role of third parties. Through an analysis of varied and complementary sources, valuable conclusions have been reached demonstrating that diplomacy and International Law are useful tools to deal with water-related disputes, albeit sometimes in a very limited way.