Amman, Feb. 18 -- Jordan has joined the 1992 UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (the UN Water Convention) to bolster cooperation on shared water resources in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions.
Water and Irrigation Minister Raed Abu Saud said the accession will strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries, expand knowledge exchange with states facing similar pressures, and support sustainable water management and climate resilience.
The move, he said, also advances implementation of Jordan’s recently updated National Water Strategy 2023-2040, which sets a long-term framework to address contemporary water challenges.
Abu Saud said Jordan faces acute water scarcity and is among the world’s most water-poor countries. He noted that around 40% of Jordan’s water resources are shared with neighboring states, making cooperation on transboundary surface and groundwater critical as demand continues to rise, driven by population growth, refugee inflows, and climate-related stress, according to a ministry statement.
Despite regional geopolitical complexities, Jordan has concluded bilateral agreements on several shared water resources, including the Jordan River basin, the Yarmouk River basin, and the Disi-Saq aquifer system, contributing to improved access to safely managed drinking water, he said.
Accession to the UN Water Convention and its practitioners’ network, he added, provides a global legal and institutional framework to support equitable and sustainable management of domestic and transboundary waters.
Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said Jordan’s accession sends a strong leadership signal in a region heavily affected by water scarcity.
She said the convention offers practical tools to help shift water scarcity from a source of tension to an opportunity for partnership, resilience, and peacebuilding, and can support Jordan’s preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference.
//Petra// AO
