Chapter
5:
Analysis
of
stakeholders
in
Yemen
Chapter
5.
Analysis
of
stakeholders
in
Yemen
Key
messages:
•
The
Yemen
water
governance
regime
is
highly
fragmented;
•
National
water
institutions
are
limited
by
capacity;
•
True
power
and
influence
in
reforming
the
Yemen
water
sector
is
at
the
private
irrigation
farmers
who
daily
manage
and
operate
the
large
majority
of
Yemen's
available
water
resources;
•
Although
the
Ministry
of
Water
and
Environment
(MWE)
and
National
Water
Resources
Authority
(NWRA)
are
officially
the
main
authorities
for
water
resources
management,
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and
Irrigation
(MAI)
is
more
powerful
and
influential;
•
The
public
and
private
interests
can
be
much
intertwined
and
private
agents
(irrigation
farmer
sheiks)
can
hold
public
positions;
•
Due
to
the
pluriformity
of
the
legal
institutions
there
are
no
specific
actors
for
conflict
settlement,
it
is
considered
important
that
conflict
mediators
(and
the
like)
represent
an
authority
which
is
considered
legitimate
by
both
the
accusing
and
the
accused
party
In
this
chapter
we
analyze
which
actors
are
involved
in
conflict
(resolution)
processes?
What
is
their
relation
to
each
other
and
the
Government?
What
are
their
(customary)
roles
within
society?
Which
actors
are
only
involved
due
to
the
fact
that
they
are
affected
by
the
basis
of
the
conflict
or
benefit
therefrom
(e.g.,
drilling
a
borehole)?
What
is
their
interest
in
the
conflict
or
resolution
thereof?
What
capacities
and
power
do
the
stakeholders
have
to
steer
the
conflict
resolution
process?
Are
there
actors
with
a
mediating
role?
Have
any
of
these
roles,
or
authorities,
changed
over
time
or
are
likely
to
change
in
the
foreseeable
future?
5.1
The
institutional
environment
of
Yemen
water
management
Due
to
the
increasing
awareness
of
groundwater
depletion,
the
Government
of
Yemen
has
committed
itself
to
a
sustainable
use
of
the
water
resources,
which
was
reiterated
in
an
official
statement
issued
at
the
UN
Conference
on
Environment
and
Development
of
1992
in
Rio
de
Janeiro
(EOEARTH,
2008).
Water
management
responsibilities
are
divided
over
many
authorities
with
minimum
integration
and
coordination.
Competition
over
responsibilities
is
also
observed,
an
official
from
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and
Irrigation
is
quoted
by
Zeitoun
(2009)
saying
that
"the
NWSSIP
(National
Water
Sector
Strategy
and
Investment
Plan)
is
all
about
reducing
agricultural
water
use,
but
what
about
farmers’
livelihoods?”
The
fragmentation
of
decision-‐making
in
the
management
of
water
resources
contributes
to
the
deterioration
of
sustainable
water
resources
management
in
Yemen.
To
solve
this
problem,
a
Presidential
Decree
for
the
establishment
of
the
National
Water
Resources
Authority
(NWRA)
was
issued
in
October
1995,
providing
for
the
merger
of
the
General
Directorate
of
Water
Resources
of
MAWR,
the
General
Department
of
Hydrology
of
MOMR
and
the
Technical
Secretariat
of
the
previously
existing
High
Water
Council.
The
main
duties
of
the
NWRA
are
(EOEARTH,
2008):
•
to
prepare
water
resources
policies
and
strategies;
•
to
formulate
water
legislation
and
regulations
along
with
their
enforcement;
•
to
undertake
water
resources
studies,
evaluation
and
planning;
and
The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: C onflict Analysis and Recommendations
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