Conclusions: a glass half full

As we come to a festive end of term, this blog post aims to summarise my educational journey in the field of hydro-politics in the Horn of Africa. For me, the most intriguing part of my research was the interconnectedness of water resources, which cannot be dissociated from other resources, such as energy and food, as well as a country’s relative power in the region. When looking at organisations that offer aid to water-scarce countries these interlinkages are often overlooked and have highlighted the importance of looking at the bigger picture when examining water-related issues in these countries. 

I also want to point out that when starting my blog, I had not anticipated the varying levels at which the politics of water play out. I started my blog by navigating the complex relations between states that shared a transboundary water resource, such as the Nile, but soon realised that competition over water resources also materialised within state boundaries. This was exemplified by the use of water as a weapon by rebels in Somalia. Conversely, the power rivalries between some African states were exploited by external foreign actors, such as China and the USA, highlighting how different scales of analysis are incredibly useful in creating a fuller picture of a country's hydropolitics. To this end, I finished my blog series at a more local level, exploring the impact of community based initiatives and petty corruption. 

In hindsight, however, I would have liked to spend more time offering potential solutions to the problems encountered in my blog, especially for the likes of corruption. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the process behind these posts, whether that was individual research, listening to UCL lectures, or engaging in related discussions with my peers. I have finished with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate balance between water and politics and believe that with further research on how a myriad of factors actors interact we can find durable solutions to water disputes and scarcity problems.  

Therefore, as we take a celebratory step into the new year, with renewed hope for improved and more equitable water allocation, I leave you with a musical video by the Nile project. This song is performed by a mix of musicians and instruments from varying countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Egypt, which I hope acts as a metaphor for future collaboration across the Nile and among different political groups that share water resources.  

I wish you great a 2022 and thank you greatly for having read and/or participated in my blog posts!