Stiftelsen Stockholm International Water Institute
Actionable Water Diplomacy
SIWI is developing an AI-supported training and simulation tool for water diplomacy to strengthen cooperation and negotiation over shared waters.
Project information
The project is funded with
Location
Duration of the project
Time status
Focus area
Project links SIWI is developing an AI-supported training and simulation tool for water diplomacy to strengthen cooperation and negotiation over shared waters.
Project information
The project is funded with
Location
Duration of the project
Time status
Focus area
Increasing climate change, water scarcity, and geopolitical instability have made cooperation over transboundary water resources one of the major global challanges of our time. However, many water negotiation processes today lack safe and structured mechanisms that enable parties to explore shared, long-term sustainable solutions. Another challange is that technical experts, such as engineers and water specialist, participate in negotiation processes without the essential knowledge and sufficient training in diplomacy, conflict analysis, and political economy. Existing training initiatives are often theoretical and not tailored to different professional roles or complex real-world scenarios.
Through this project, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) aims to strengthen the capacity of professionals working in water governance and diplomacy by developing practical and accessible tools that enable more effective and peaceful cooperation around transboundary water resources.
What happens in the project?
- Update its curriculum, particularly the role-based negotiation simulation developed in 2005. Through this project, the simulation will be further developed for both in-person and digital delivery.
- Pilot and refine the updated training programme and simulation in collaboration with four partner organizations in Jordan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates, where significant water-related challenges exist and where there is strong demand for capacity development.
- Conduct a simulation exercise during World Water Week.
- Implement Training of Trainers (ToT) initiatives in collaboration with partners from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe.
- Make all materials openly accessible to support continued use and application worldwide.
Why is the project supported?
The issue of how water resources are shared is becoming increasingly important in a changing climate and risks leading to ever more serious conflicts. It is therefore crucial that the actors responsible for negotiating the management of transboundary water resources possess the knowledge and capacity required to identify common solutions and reach agreements. This project aims to strengthen those capabilities.
