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Bilateral Partnership Programme Envisioned disaster: Water Scarcity Area: Disaster Prevention-Response Prepared by: Lim Ruo Shuang (Peking University, China) “By 2025, 1 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population under stress conditions.” Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

[Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

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Page 1: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Bilateral Partnership Programme

  Envisioned disaster: Water Scarcity

 Area: Disaster Prevention-Response

Prepared by: Lim Ruo Shuang (Peking University, China)

“By 2025, 1 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population under stress conditions.”

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Page 2: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Definition & Significance Water Scarcity

“The lack of enough water (quantity) or lack of access to safe water (quality).”The Water Project

A crucial problem Affects 1 out of 3 people on every continent Affects many key aspects of daily life, including:

food supply, health, national development, social stability

Potential cause of conflicts, endangering world peace

Page 3: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Actual Problem & Existent History Actual Problem

Unequal natural distribution of water resources (quantity)Misuse and manmade degradation of existing water sources (quality)

Existent HistoryHas always existed

The extent has become increasingly severe

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Where & When? Already existent in regions with naturally lesser

amounts of water sourcesWater deficits have already sparked grain crises and forced smaller countries to import large amounts of grainsAccording to UNICEF, 12.3m in Sudan, 5.0m in Venezuela, 2.7m in Ethiopia… live solely on contaminated water

Likely to spread to regions which are naturally richer in water sources, but lack good governanceGood governance promotes the practice of sustainable development

Page 5: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

The Idea: Bilateral Partnership (Disaster Response)

What is it – Theory of Comparative Advantage

Countries willing to participate will be matched with another country which can complement it in terms of needs

E.g. An agriculture-based country currently experiencing a water crisis (A) can be paired with a country with the advanced technology but which has inadequate food supply due to the emphasis of its economy (B)

B exports/transfers all/part of its technology to A, thus enabling A to revive its agriculture and hence its economy.

As part of the partnership, A sells its produce to B at a slightly better price than market rate.

Page 6: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Plan Institutions Involved

Major international organisations (IOs) involved in current water efforts to provide guidance from their expertiseSetting up a central committee, comprising experts and representatives from the IOs, to match countries and oversee the bilateral partnership

TimelineTo start off with a pioneer batch of 3-5 pairs of countries

After 5 years, to expand the project to include more pairs

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Effectiveness The use of only two countries per partnership

reduces the probability of the richer country defaulting on its promises and passing the buck to another country

Selecting two countries which complement each other more also narrows down the allowed exchange of benefits to prevent abuse of the partnership

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FeasibilityHigh because many of such potential partner countries exist, e.g.:

Singapore and Israel, small countries which have excellent desalination technology that can be used to treat sea water, would benefit from cooperation with Ethiopia, whose economy is centered on agriculture

Page 9: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Innovation & Similar Existing Efforts

Represents a breakthrough from current international efforts that do not focus on a direct exchange (e.g. technology for agriculture)

Most existent efforts are NGO-initiated and involve going to the ground for building projects

Page 10: [Challenge:Future] Bilateral Partnership Programme

Goals & TargetsPotential Positive Impact

Goals & Targets Alleviate water scarcity in many parts of the world through

initiating and expanding the partnership programme To have successful pioneer batches to increase its

attractiveness to countries in need which are reluctant to join

Potential Positive Impact Stronger bilateral ties Potential positive spillover effect when bilateral

partnership based on an initial exchange of two elements is expanded to include more mutually-beneficial areas