Pakistan-Afghanistan Transboundary Water Relationship – Exploring Opportunities for Cooperation

Geographical Focus: Pakistan-Afghanistan

Period of Intervention: July 2021 to March 2022

Partner: International Water Management Institute and USAID

Project Summary

Since 2015, CRSS has been constantly connecting Pakistanis and Afghans from different walks of life; relevant track 1.5/2 actors for dialogue on the issues of mutual concern as part of political, economic, and people to people side of the relationship, and formulating joint declarations of policy recommendations, later taken up with policymakers on both sides.

Based on this successful experience in track 1.5/2 dialogue between two countries, the Center launched an initiative to use the same expertise to strengthen water relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan where the endeavor aims to promote dialogue on the opportunities for cooperation over their transboundary water resources.

The first phase of this initiative i) analyzed the discourse published in media on both sides about the coverage that the water relationship receives, ii) engaged relevant Pakistani actors including water professionals, academics, members of civil society, parliament and media fraternity, for roundtable dialogue series on the transboundary water sharing issues mutually inclusive to both sides, iii) formulated policy briefs for information and engagement of relevant stakeholders, and iv) media traction through op-eds, pressers and digital videos.