Ayşegül Kibaroğlu

Water security refers to the availability of adequate quantities and qualities of water for societal needs and resilient ecosystems in the context of current conditions and future global change. Achieving water security is directly linked to food and energy security, protecting and preserving ecosystems, and addressing key vulnerabilities and risks from climate change. Good water governance –including transboundary cooperation– is a critical feature of any effort to achieve water security. Yet the concept of water security remains abstract and broad. In an attempt to make the concept of water security-relevant in practice, this paper delineates Türkiye’s water security policy and practices through institutional and cross-sectoral (energy and food) analysis. Specific attention is paid to Türkiye’s transboundary water security policies.

Water is about people and human security. Unfortunately water has become a source of conflicts around the world, especially in the Middle East. There is a critical need for active water cooperation between nations in the region. This article discusses possible ways to achieve such cooperation, using tools developed under the Blue Peace concept. The article highlights a positive example of concrete steps taken by Turkey and Iraq in the area of track-two hydro diplomacy, which could potentially expand to other countries in the region. Experiences from around the world demonstrate that sustainable active water cooperation is possible and there are many examples that could be adapted by countries in the Middle East.