Finding Water in the Desert: Water Security in the Middle East

In 1979, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said that “the only matter which could take Egypt to war again is water.” That war may not have come yet, but the truth behind Sadat’s warning remains just as relevant today, and not just in Egypt. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most water insecure regions on the globe, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI). What’s more, observes Stimson Center Fellow and Cipher Brief expert Amit Pandya, “roughly two thirds of the Arab World’s surface water supplies originate outside the region” or require extensive cooperation between regional countries to manage.

Aggravated by climate change, ballooning populations, and widespread conflict, these factors combine to create a deep, yet often overlooked, source of instability in the region. As MENA water needs continue to outstrip supply, what can be done to slake the region’s thirst and prevent future conflicts?

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