Experts underscore effective hydro diplomacy for robust water governance

KATHMANDU: Experts on diplomacy, hydro-engineering, environment and politics have underscored a need for effective hydro diplomacy for robust water governance.

They argued hydro governance requires attention and engagement from multi-sectors. The broader consensus among stakeholders with credible information and relevant expertise helps in shaping effective hydro policy and laws that are beneficial to any country, they suggested. 

It was stressed during a webinar addressed by the South Asian experts on Thursday.

In the webinar on 'Hydro diplomacy: Pathways to enhance water cooperation' organised jointly by Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF), Global Water Partnership South Asia, and Women for Water Partnership, former Chairman of the Foundation and hydro expert, Dipak Gyawali, expressed, "Water is a trans-border issue. So, it warrants all sides' debates. Conventional and siloed agencies are slow off the mark in understanding and managing water issues at present time."

He made a presentation on 'cultural theory of hydro diplomacy' at the event and expressed worry over the absence of water issues in the exchanges of bilateral visits and meetings.

According to him, climate change is affecting each type of water very differently. The water community must know it well, Gyawali suggested, categorising water types in seven colours.

Different colour waters have varied impacts in different communities. The former minister worried that though COP27 had admitted the climate problem as a water problem, the recent COP28 failed to explore on it further. "Poor hydro governance is detrimental to Nepal's security and economy," he warned.

Similarly, former foreign secretary and permanent representative of Nepal to the UN, Madhu Raman Acharya, reminded that diplomacy is regarded as an art of making impossible possible. So, even the hydro experts and negotiators have role to dispel the fear of security and geopolitics and to convince policy and law makers on value of water negotiation and governance.

"Water issues are not only entangled to climate change but also to culture, trade and security. Water issues are complex and warrant all sides cooperation," said climate change specialist from Pakistan, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.

Another panelist Ambika Vishwanath, Director of Kubernein Initiative of India, said cross-border information flow could save lives during disasters and emergencies. She suggested that Nepal and India could save lives, especially at the border by adopting a mechanism to share disaster information.

Moreover, the environmental specialist from Bangladesh, Bushra Nishat, also said information and data sharing are key to water management and governance. Misinformation creates distrust. She suggested exchange visits of students to know better about disasters and water problems among the countries and building a shared model to minimize damages.

Moderating the event, climate resilience and water security specialist for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), John Dore, viewed cooperation among water experts in the region as equally important to sort out problems.

President of the Women for Water Partnership (WfWP), Mariet Verhoef-Cohen, stressed highlighting women's role in water management.

Also speaking on the occasion, the regional Chairperson of Global Water Partnership, South Asia, Kusum Athukorala, pointed out the need to identify the people and community who are at the receiving end of water crisis. It should be linked to security issues, according to her.

Chairman of the NWCF and meteorologist,Ngamindra Dahal seconded Gyawali, saying, "In the absence of effective water diplomacy, we lag and get deprived of water benefits."

He viewed time has come to foster multi-sectoral debates on water governance, thereby making aware law and policy makers on this pressing issue. "Haphazard decisions and law and policy making relating to water will lead to economic and environmental backsliding," Dahal warned.

Chairman Dahal also informed that the Foundation would continue such discussions to augment information and knowledge on multifarious issues of hydro governance.