The first IISS Southern Asia Water Cooperation Conference took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 20-22 September 2006. The first in the series, the conference brought together 25 senior officials and experts from seven countries in Southern Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan), along with a small number of other participants, to discuss, the potential for and benefits of cooperation in managing shared water resources, in an off-the-record and informal setting.
The key-note address was given by Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid, Minister of Water resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt. In his address Dr Abu Zeid promoted the shared benefits of and opportunities for river-water management. The conference explored policy-oriented thinking on cooperative mechanisms for water sharing at a time when governments in the region are searching for ways to meet energy and development needs of growing economies and populations. Practical ideas were exchanged for providing trans-border river-water cooperation and understanding, thereby assisting in preventing tensions and conflict related to water resources.
The conference was significant as it was the first ‘para-diplomatic’ meeting on transborder water cooperation involving senior officials and experts from South Asia along with China. It also brought together participants on a multilateral and inclusive basis to learn from each other’s experience and to focus on the potential benefits of greater cooperation. Following the conference, the IISS is preparing a policy-relevant brief on its key outcomes for select distribution to senior officials of regional and other governments. This may help to encourage an informal multilateral policy-oriented dialogue on shared water resources and cooperation.
Key participants of the conference included: Keshang Jamtso, Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan; Hu Wenjun, Deputy Division Chief, Ministry of Water resources, China; Suresh Prabhu, Member of Parliament and former Union Cabinet Minister for Environment and Forests, India; Tikadutta Niraula, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Nepal; and Ashfaq Mehmood, Secretary, Ministry of Water and Power, Pakistan.
Other senior participants included: Dr David Grey, Senior Water Advisor (South Asia and Africa), The World Bank; Dr Robert Wirsing, Professor, Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies; and Dr Patricia Wouters, Director, UNESCO Centre for Water law Policy and Science, Dundee University.
The IISS was ably represented by its Director of Studies, Dr Patrick Cronin, and Consulting Senior Fellow, Sir Hilary Synnott. The conference was organised by Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, IISS Research Fellow for South Asia, along with support from Kathleen James, IISS Events and Media Relations Manager.
