Some 30 years ago, Boutros Boutros-Ghali – who went on to become UN Secretary General – predicted that the wars of the future would be fought over water. His prediction has not yet come true, but when we look at the various regions of the world, it is clear water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource that is indeed at the centre of many conflicts – or is at least exacerbating them significantly.

by Gerhard Wahlers

On the Revival of the Israeli–Palestinian Joint Water Committee

The crisis-ridden Middle East is among the world’s water scarcest regions. The issue of the equitable distribution ofthe cross-border resource water regularly fuels conflicts. Unresolved water issues are proving to be an obstacle to peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The decision to revive the Israeli–Palestinian Joint Water Committee has led to a rapprochement in the water sector after years of inactivity. Will the breakthrough now succeed?

by Marc Frings, Johannes Lutz

Is There Still Time to Secure the Water Resources Lake Victoria Provides?

Lake Victoria is essential to the lives of over 30 million people. Water pollution, resource exploitation and a lack of regional cooperation are threatening its ecological balance. The situation is exacerbated by the high population growth rate. There are justifiable doubts as to whether the future of the essential water resource provided by Africa’s largest lake is secure.

by Daniel El-Noshokaty

Thoughts on Regulatory Matters Relating to Water Supply in Latin America

While the wave of public service privatisation in Latin America is waning, the underlying issue of regulation remains unresolved. The failure of many projects in the water sector after some initial successes shows that huge challenges remain, whether the water supply is in public or private hands. This is in part due to a failure to engage in a debate about a stable governance model for the region.

by Gunter Rieck Moncayo, Maximilian Wichert

Playing Politics with the Mekong

In Asia, water has become a critical non-traditional security issue. Reduced water flow, resulting from Chinese hydropower dam construction, threatens food and socio-economic security. Simultaneously, China gains a potent political instrument with the ability to “turn off the tap”. The Mekong demonstrates the region’s need for rules-based institutionalised water cooperation.

by Rabea Brauer, Frederick Kliem

On the State of Development in Rwanda and the Country’s Significance as a Role Model for Africa

Stemming the flow of migrants from Africa requires new initiatives to promote economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The challenge is to fight the causes of flight and open up prospects for the African youth in their own countries. Rwanda is seen as a prime example of successful development, in part due to large-scale international support. Is its development concept truly pioneering and transferable to other countries?

by Peter Molt

Latin America’s Fight against Corruption

News stories about corruption cases in Latin America are ubiquitous. Most recently, the bribery scandal relating to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht made headlines worldwide. Despite or maybe because of these frequent bad news stories there has been a significant increase in anti-corruption measures in Latin America since the beginning of this year. The continent still has a long way to go in its efforts to fight corruption effectively. But there are signs that a turnaround may for the first time finally be possible.

by Marie-Christine Fuchs