water diplomacy
Days before the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas erupted in November, international diplomats gathered at the French Consulate General in Jerusalem to discuss an ambitious diplomatic initiative that would convene Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, the Gulf states, and the European Union to jointly support the construction of a Gaza desalination plant that would ultimately help secure clean water access for the coastal enclave.
Extracting drinking water from air, building low-cost bamboo toilets, creating an SMS app to inform about water shortages. These were some of the ideas which emerged at the first 'INDIAFRICA' collaborative workshop organised on April 4 and 5 by the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with design and strategy company, IdeaWorks, for Indian and African students aspiring to become entrepreneurs.
Just outside Lima, Peru, a billboard provides drinking water to whomever needs it - mainly, its neighbours. The panel produces clean water from the humidity in the air, through filters. Researchers at the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima and advertising agency Mayo Peru DraftFCB joined forces to launch it.
Water is also fundamental to our diplomatic and development goals - including health, economic growth, food security, gender equality, and conflict mitigation. We know that when managed well, water allows economies to thrive and children to grow up healthy. Water can also build peaceful cooperation between neighbors.
The most recent installment in the CPD Perspectives series, "Cases in Water Diplomacy" is an edited volume of six case studies in water diplomacy. Released on the heels of the 10th annual World Water Day (observed March 22nd, as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly), this collection highlights the ever-growing importance of strategic water diplomacy in all regions of the world.
Perhaps the greatest deterrent to extremism is prosperity. If people have a decent place to live, can put food on the table for their families, and see their children healthy and being educated, they are likely to tune out recruitment efforts by terrorists and other proponents of violence.
Perhaps the greatest deterrent to extremism is prosperity. If people have a decent place to live, can put food on the table for their families, and see their children healthy and being educated, they are likely to tune out recruitment efforts by terrorists and other proponents of violence.