Background

Article - Exploring friendship in hydropolitics: The case of the friendship dam on the Asi/Orontes river

Shaping Law and Policy Science publication
“Friendship dams” are an explicit, yet underexplored, materialization of hydropolitics that illustrate the potential role of water in international cooperation. Via a case study analysis of the Syria-Turkey Friendship Dam project proposed for the Asi/Orontes river, we trace the process of cooperation that led to the use of this notion of “friendship” in transboundary cooperation.
Orontes river country

 

“Friendship dams” are an explicit, yet underexplored, materialization of hydropolitics that illustrate the potential role of water in international cooperation. Via a case study analysis of the Syria-Turkey Friendship Dam project proposed for the Asi/Orontes river, we trace the process of cooperation that led to the use of this notion of “friendship” in transboundary cooperation. Using a transversal analysis ofdifferent phases of cooperation and non-cooperation, we consider broad, big-picture political and diplomatic factors related to water and beyond.