The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnership have announced a multi-year cooperation to address water-related conflict and instability around the world.
On August 26, the first day of World Water Week 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnership proudly announced their collaboration on Water and Peace. The cooperation agreement, that has since been formalised in a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding, signifies a mutual commitment to jointly address the global risk of water-induced conflicts and promote sustainable water management practices around the world.
During the launch event panel, the IFRC and WPS emphasised their mutual commitment to preventing and managing water-related instability in fragile regions.
Moderator Laura Birkman, senior strategic analyst of WPS consortium member The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) stated, “HCSS is proud to coordinate this effort with the IFRC on behalf of the WPS partnership. Combining our expertise on the water-peace nexus with the world’s largest humanitarian network significantly enhances our ability to address water-induced instability in fragile regions on a meaningful scale.”
The initial focus of the partnership will be on supporting the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in the MENA region, starting in September with an inception workshop taking place in Amman, Jordan. The SWWW24 launch event attracted many practitioners, academics, and policymakers working on water-related challenges around the world.
Panellists Yasir Mohamed (IHE Delft) and Audrey Legat (Deltares) highlighted the potential for impactful collaboration is significant. In the short term, IFRC and WPS aim to reduce water-related tensions at the community level. Long-term goals include enhancing community resilience by building capacity for equitable and sustainable water cooperation, ultimately reducing water-related instability and migration.
Maria Pinzon, IFRC Global Head of Water Systems Strengthening, explained IFRC’s motivation for the collaboration: “Our National Societies have been identifying tensions in communities around water. Joining efforts with The WPS Consortium will enable communities to learn, understand, and take action.”
The event concluded with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to officially mark the start of this strategic partnership. “The WPS is looking forward to collaborating with IFRC and local partners worldwide to turn water-related tensions into opportunities for peace and cooperation,” said Yasir Mohamed (IHE Delft), coordinator of the WPS consortium.
About the IFRC:
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, delivering assistance to vulnerable communities worldwide.
About the WPS Partnership:
The Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnership, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mitigates water-induced conflict through cooperation on water resource management.
For more information, contact: Nicola Chadwick, Mobile +31 621405472, Email: n.chadwick@un-ihe.org / info@waterpeacesecurity.org Coordinator of WPS communications.
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