June 23, 2025 – Irbid, Jordan — The Water Diplomacy Center (WDC) at Jordan University of Science and Technology successfully hosted the second session in its WDC Learning Webinar Series, titled “Conflict Analysis in Water Resource Dispute – An Introduction". The webinar was held online and featured a thought-provoking presentation by Dr. Ali El Hanandeh, an expert in water resources modeling and conflict analysis.

Dr. Ali is currently an associate professor at Griffith University and has extensive experience in the fields of hydrology, systems modeling, and water conflict analysis. The webinar was opened by Prof. Mutawakil Obeidat, Director of the WDC, who welcomed the speaker and attendees and expressed appreciation for Dr. Ali's contribution to the center's ongoing learning initiatives. The session was facilitated by Prof. Ammar Albalasmeh, Deputy Director of the WDC, who moderated the event and engaged participants in discussion.

The webinar was attended by a diverse group of participants including WDC Fellows, MSc students in the WDC Master Program, and national and international guests interested in water conflict and cooperation. The session is part of WDC's strategy to strengthen knowledge sharing and capacity building in the MENA region and beyond.

In his presentation, Dr. Ali provided an introductory overview of conflict analysis models with particular emphasis on their application in water-related disputes. He discussed the definition and dynamics of conflict, underlying causes, stakeholder roles, and various conceptual tools such as the onion model, ABC triangle, and conflict tree. He also introduced the Pawlak Model, a tool for analyzing the relative influence of stakeholders in a dispute.

“Conflict is not just about opposing positions. It's about deeper needs, interests, values, and relationships," Dr. Ali emphasized. “Understanding these dimensions allows us to move from managing symptoms to addressing root causes and identifying sustainable resolutions."

Dr. Ali illustrated how conflicts can manifest at different levels—from interpersonal to international—and highlighted the importance of timeline analysis, stakeholder mapping, and power mapping in understanding the evolution and dynamics of a dispute. Drawing from real-world water conflicts, such as those in the Nile Basin, he showed how cultural, political, and informational factors shape conflict outcomes.

The WDC will continue to engage young professionals, academics, and experts through this webinar series. Plans for the third session are already underway and will be announced in the coming months.​

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