The Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia Launched in Stockholm - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
Press release

13 Sep 2013

Beirut

The Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia Launched in Stockholm

During the World Water Week held in Stockholm from 1 to 6 September 2013, ESCWA and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) launched the Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia, the first effort led by the United Nations to comprehensively identify and assess the state of transboundary surface and groundwater resources in the Middle East. The Inventory was prepared in close consultation with ESCWA member countries as well as with regional and international experts Many transboundary rivers such as the Euphrates, Tigris, Nile and Jordan River constitute popular cases of dispute between States in Western Asia and have been extensively studied. Several other less-known but equally important shared rivers and groundwater resources have however been often overlooked, and thus the Inventory sheds light on these sources of freshwater and might be the focus of future conflicts in this politically-sensible region. “This unique publication in its groundbreaking information and distinctive preparation process that actively involved ESCWA member countries will provide new insights for future research on shared water resources in the region and will serve as a basis for continuing regional cooperation on water as well as other natural resources that are strategic for this region and often of shared nature,” indicated Roula Majdalani, Director of the ESCWA Sustainable Development and Productivity Division (SDPD) in a statement delivered on the occasion. One of the key findings of the Inventory is the largely neglected fact that water quality in the region is rapidly deteriorating and is eclipsed by concerns over quantity.The Inventory also points out that there are more shared water resources in Western Asia than was generally assumed and the lack of accurate data hampers joint water management. Another finding stresses that it is already too late to save some shared waters and countries need to cooperate more closely in order to sustain the shared resources that remain. The Inventory is published on a dedicated website which allows users to browse contents and download individual chapters and maps, available at www.waterinventory.org. For further inquiries, kindly contact waterinventory@un.org

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