ABSTRACT
When dealing with issues or conflicts around water as a valuable resource, scientific and evidence-based technical solutions may appear as straightforward. Yet, officials, negotiators, experts, and activists dealing with water conflicts frequently struggle with political or security issues surrounding their negotiation and the resulting difficulty in finding mutually acceptable solutions. Writing from the perspective of a third party, and drawing on techniques and approaches typically used in peacemaking processes, this chapter lays out the various process design options negotiators, interlocutors, and third-party supporters can consider to increase a process’ chances of success. The focus of this chapter is not just on official processes but extends to informal (and at times confidential) dialogues that can be a useful way to develop cooperation in the absence of wider political solutions.
