Jordan will be most affected if water rights agreements are not implemented – Watan News

2023-09-15 14:04:24

Main economic affairs

September 15, 2023

Watan Al-Youm: The National Water Strategy considered that Jordan would be “the most affected” if the bilateral water rights agreements signed between the Kingdom and its neighboring countries were not implemented, noting that a quarter of Jordan’s renewable water sources come from outside its territory.
The strategy (2023-2040), launched by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation last March, indicated that the surface and groundwater sources available in Jordan are “largely shared resources with neighboring countries,” pointing out that the Kingdom is “closer to the mouth of many of these sources.” Which “further complicates this reality.”
Jordan is one of the poorest countries in the world in terms of water, “depending to some extent on the compliance and commitment of neighboring countries to existing bilateral agreements, in addition to their cooperation and responsible management of these water resources,” according to the strategy.
She said: “Since Jordan is the most affected if the signed bilateral water rights agreements are not implemented, it is necessary for the water sector to take a leadership role” in bringing together and strengthening the joint water committees that were formed to manage these shared resources, and “regular systematic efforts should be made to enhance Regional cooperation and coordination in light of the intense competition and demand for these resources among the countries of the region.”
The shared water sources are water supplies coming from outside Jordan’s borders or extending outside it, which “exacerbates the complexities of managing these water sources,” according to the strategy.
Many of Jordan’s water sources are located in neighboring countries, such as the groundwater basins in the north (Yarmouk, Badia, and Ar-Raqban), the Wadi Araba basin in the west, the southeast (Sarhan) and southern (Disi) basins, and the Jordan River and its tributary, the Yarmouk River, which are also shared with neighboring countries.
Jordan signed 3 international and bilateral agreements to cover some shared water sources, while “the rest of the sources are governed by previous customs and practices,” according to what the strategy stated.
Advisor to the Minister of Water and Irrigation, Ibrahim Hiasat, said earlier that “a quarter of Jordan’s water sources are shared with neighboring countries.” According to the strategy, a quarter of Jordan’s renewable water sources come from outside its territory, and therefore the Kingdom’s control over water supply “is limited, affected by regional agreements with neighboring countries.”
The strategy called for “strengthening cooperation platforms with neighboring countries to ensure sustained and regular coordination and adherence to international agreements,” and called for activating and strengthening joint committees “urgently” to enhance joint cooperation.
The water sector is required to “ensure the existence of accurate and reliable data and evidence on changing the quality and quantity of shared water resources as a basis for discussions and dialogue related to the management of these resources and for any required negotiations and reviews of bilateral and multilateral agreements.”
On the other hand, the strategy talked about the possibility of “enhancing cooperation through thoughtful and careful development, investment and management in projects that provide common benefits to all parties.”