Policy Analysis: Water, Migration and Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa

The aim of this undertaking is to develop a paper on water, migration and conflict in the MENA region.  The MENA is a hotspot of intraregional and international migration historically and, more recently, unprecedented levels of conflict-induced displacement. The paper aims to build an evidence-base through utilising quantitative tools to delve into ways that water scarcity is provoking or intensifying access to water, induced migration from water scarcity incidences and the emergence of conflict as displaced persons put extra pressure on water resources in host communities. Hence, interlinkages between water availability and migration choices of individuals will be established.

Accordingly, the paper will provide a detailed description of the following themes:

• theme 1: evidence of water shocks in influencing migration decisions,
• theme 2: impact of migration on the water resources and water services of communities/countries of destination,
• theme 3: impact of migration on the water resources and water services of communities/countries of origin.