During the session titled “Strengthening Capacities for a Water-Resilient World," held on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, as part of the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye, Prof. Mutawakil Obeidat, Director of the Water Diplomacy Center, emphasized the importance of strengthening the connection between scientific knowledge and political decision-making in the water sector through multidisciplinary approaches, policy-oriented training, and enhanced institutional cooperation.

He highlighted that addressing water challenges requires structural changes in the way water professionals are trained and how knowledge is integrated into policymaking processes. He stressed the need to equip professionals not only with technical expertise, but also with negotiation, mediation, systems thinking, and policy literacy skills, particularly within the context of transboundary water management and the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus.

Prof. Obeidat further underlined the importance of effective communication and multidisciplinary collaboration among engineers, economists, political scientists, and legal experts to ensure that technical outputs translate into practical and actionable policy solutions. He also called for greater engagement of policymakers and stakeholders in the co-production of knowledge to enhance trust, ownership, and the relevance of research outcomes. In addition, he stressed the need to institutionalize science-policy interfaces through dedicated mechanisms that translate technical findings into policy briefs and facilitate regular dialogue between experts and decision-makers.

As part of its ongoing efforts, he noted that the Water Diplomacy Center has implemented a series of capacity-building programs under the Blue Peace Capacity Development Project, supported by the Government of Switzerland. The Center has also initiated the establishment of a Transboundary Water Negotiation Unit in Jordan and is working toward launching a similar unit in Syria. Through its joint research initiatives, the Center continues to work with policymakers and regional stakeholders to advance transboundary, cooperative, sustainable water governance solutions.

Finally, Prof. Obeidat recommended strengthening the protection of water infrastructure in line with international norms and integrating water cooperation into peacebuilding and security frameworks.

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