Co-operation in the Afghanistan–Pakistan river basins

Lautze, Jonathan F.; Meelad, A.; Hayat, S.

Co-operation in the Afghanistan–Pakistan river basins

Autores

Lautze, Jonathan F.

Meelad, A.

Hayat, S.

Editor

CAB International

Descripción

In transboundary waters, co-operative basin management is widely believed to offer benefits over and above those of separate and unilateral management by riparian countries. Nonetheless, co-operation on shared waters does not always exist. The Kabul, Kurram and Gomal basins, shared by Afghanistan and Pakistan, present examples of river basins that lack co-operation despite the benefits that could be accrued. This chapter takes stock of existing co-operation in the Kabul, Kurram and Gomal basins to suggest catalysts for co-operation. The chapter reviews the current status of water co-operation between the two countries and the adverse consequences due to the current status quo. Factors constraining co-operation are then presented, followed by the benefits that can be derived from co-operation and frameworks that can guide its development. Finally, practical incentives for scaling up co-operation, and specific small steps that can be taken, are presented. A particular value-addition of this chapter is a granular distillation of the key points on which co-operation should focus and the mechanisms and modalities that can enable that focus.