Overview

The natural resources of our planet, including water, are gifts that we can use to improve the lives of all the people of the world. But it is a scare resource and dividing scarce resources is never easy. When done well both the environment and the people involved can prosper from the sharing and management of water across international borders. When done poorly or not at all, it can be a cause of conflict. But when nations come into conflict over such resources what you also end up with is a waste of those resources, a waste of energy and perhaps conflict that could have a great cost for both sides. We drink water. We use water. We use it to generate electricity. Water is required in a wide range of industries that are essential to the well being of the people, especially agriculture. Water is a common staple of life, but where it is scarce it is a strategic resource that nations compete to control. We have before us today a panel of experts who will review the potential for water conflict in two areas of the world-the Aral Sea watershed in Central Asia and along the Nile River in East Africa.