The Middle East has battled water insecurity for centuries. But today, recent foreign aid cuts, combined with terrorism designations, sanctions, and conflict-induced fragility, have put the region on a razor’s edge.
This month, the Middle East Program launches its new CSIS report edited by Natasha Hall: The Thirst for Power: Overcoming the Politics of Water in the Middle East. CSIS enlisted regional experts to dive into four of the Middle East’s most complex case studies: northeastern Syria, the Yemeni highlands, southern Iraq, and Jordan. Ciarán Ó Cuinn, director of the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC), writes the foreword on the struggle to achieve water security for Palestinians.
At this event, our speakers will explore the politics that have exacerbated water insecurity and put forward practical, politically feasible pathways forward. We will also hear updates on the effects of recent political events and aid cuts to some of the region's most vulnerable cases.
This event is made possible through the Middle East Transformation Initiative, which is supported by Bahaa Rafic Hariri.
