The Water Diplomacy Center at Jordan University of Science and Technology and the CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (Finland) jointly convened the closed roundtable "Pathways for Enhanced Protection of Water Infrastructure During Regional Conflicts in the Middle East" on 30 July 2026.

The online roundtable brought together water experts, former ministers, academics, humanitarian practitioners, engineers, and policy specialists from Jordan, Palestine, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Türkiye to examine the growing vulnerability of water infrastructure during armed conflict and identify practical pathways for enhancing its protection.

Drawing on regional case studies and expert discussion, participants concluded that while international humanitarian law provides important legal protections for water infrastructure, the principal challenge lies in implementation, accountability, and protecting essential services from both direct attacks and indirect disruptions.

The roundtable recommended strengthening accountability for violations of international humanitarian law, investing in resilient and decentralized water infrastructure, improving regional technical cooperation and emergency response mechanisms, enhancing documentation of attacks on water infrastructure, and promoting water diplomacy as a practical tool for confidence-building and regional cooperation.

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