Approach

The Blue Peace initiative aims to reduce or prevent conflicts over water by creating new opportunities for cooperation between countries, sectors, and communities. Water is used as an entry point to promote dialogue, build trust, and support fair water management among the countries involved.

The initiative promotes solutions stemming from a broad range of stakeholders including international organisations, governmental entities, private sector enterprises, NGOs, research institutions, artists, and young people. Using a variety of diplomatic, political, technical and financial tools, Blue Peace advocates for creative and innovative thinking on how to better use, manage and invest in water resources while promoting equality among the many shareholders and stakeholders.

Embracing a wide spectrum

The multi-year development projects of Blue Peace cover a spectrum of efforts ranging from promoting basin-wide management plans to high-level policy dialogues, capacity building, education and awareness-raising. Blue Peace emphasizes the need for context-specific approaches and engagement beyond the water sector to foster comprehensive sustainable development. Thus far, the Blue Peace initiative has developed tailor-made projects in Central Asia, the Middle East, and West Africa. Responding to regional partners‘ priorities and interests, it deploys five tools individually or in combination (see graphic).

Research, data and information

Water diplomacy

Normative and legal frameworks

Innovative finance
295

international water agreements have been negotiated and signed since 1984, resulting in fewer than 40 incidents of acute conflict over water.