Water – a source of peace

Water is often the source of tensions and instability, but it can also be an instrument of cooperation. It is this notion of water which is at the very heart of Swiss water diplomacy.

Water management presents humanity with an entirely new set of challenges. This vital resource is often badly managed, used wastefully and is the source of tensions between users. Water conflicts affect many regions around the world. These also include frozen conflicts arising from disputes over major dams and mining operations. More worrying still is the use of water as a weapon of war. This is precisely what is happening in Iraq and Syria, where certain parts of the population are systematically denied access to water.

However, water can also be a driver of cooperation and peace. It is this constructive notion of water which informs Switzerland’s water conflict prevention efforts, which it carries out in partnership with UN organisations, bilateral partners and NGOs.

Water management and its impact on security are priority areas of Swiss foreign policy. At a ministerial ceremony in Geneva in November 2015, Switzerland, together with 14 other countries, launched an independent panel on water and peace made up of high-level officials and experts tasked with developing instruments to prevent and mitigate water conflicts. The panel's work is expected to take two years.