Approaches to the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus in the Arab Region

The Arab region is confronted with growing pressure on the natural resources available. This situation is increasingly worsening human security and political stability. An integrated approach to water, energy, and food security (WEF nexus approach) can promote more efficient use of national resources and decrease stresses on the environment associated with economic development in the region. A WEF nexus approach also offers opportunities to effectively implement the Sustainable Development Goals and to efficiently design climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. 

adelphi was part of a team of experts led by the GFA Consulting Group that was commissioned by the GIZ to identify approaches to nexus mainstreaming in the Arab region. The project’s goal was to identify suitable points of entry, processes, and partners to establish a WEF nexus approach in regional and national policies and institutions. The focus was on the member states of the Arab League and the three pilot countries of Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco.

The project’s first phase was a stock-taking of the critical interplays within the WEF nexus in the Arab region. In its second phase, adelphi and national and regional experts analysed the existing conditions and frameworks for effective governance (institutions, policies, and regulations) to determine suitable mechanisms for improved coordination between the water, energy, and agricultural sectors. In close consultation with stakeholders on the regional and national level, processes were identified to improve coordination and cooperation across sectors. Finally, the project formulated policy guidelines for nexus mainstreaming in politics and institutions on the regional and national levels.