Blue Peace Middle East

Blue Peace Middle East (Blue Peace ME) was launched in 2010 through a collaborative effort by the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). As Blue Peace ME entered its new phase in 2016, the initiative was fully supported by the SDC.

The initiative is part of the global Blue Peace movement, which uses diplomatic, political, technical, and financial instruments to reduce tensions over water and strengthen cooperation.

This forward-thinking initiative has been driving a shared vision for water management and cooperation across the region. Through regular regional meetings and visits to international basins, Blue Peace ME has empowered representatives from the Middle East to craft a tailored water management model inspired by global best practices.

Vision: Using the power of water to build a peaceful future for the region.

Mission: Transforming water from a potential source of conflict into an instrument of cooperation and peace through dialogue, capacity building and concrete action.

As Blue Peace ME enters a new phase in 2023, the initiative aims to deepen regional ownership by focusing on the following key areas:

1. Policy dialogue: Revamping policy dialogue to foster result-oriented transboundary cooperation in water, energy, food, and ecosystem (WEFE) among Middle Eastern countries. This initiative is championed by the regionally owned and recognized Blue Peace ME – Regional Mechanism (Blue Peace ME-RM). The objective is to bolster the Blue Peace ME-RM into a robust and independent entity, comprising a diverse array of regional thought leaders. This dynamic group will include water, agricultural, and energy experts, economists, researchers, and media professionals. Meet our Blue Peace ME-RM
2. Capacity Building: Elevating public awareness regarding potential solutions to the Middle East's water, energy, food, and ecosystem challenges, grounded in a novel WEFE narrative of collective advantages. Departing from the traditional siloed approach to water issues, this narrative will emphasize shared benefits and an integrative approach supported by the WEFE Nexus. As of the new phase, Blue Peace ME have focused on resource management through the innovative WEFE Nexus approach. This means conducting groundbreaking research, hosting educational programs, and actively involving youth through our 'Youth Fellowship Programme'. Over five months, six exceptional fellows from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Türkiye participated in the first cohort of this pioneering youth fellowship programme, the first of its kind in the region. This innovative programme featured a unique blend of online and in-person sessions, field visits, interactive workshops, and brainstorming sessions. The fellows gained the tools and knowledge required to become Blue Peace ME Ambassadors, advancing dialogue and promoting the WEFE Nexus and transboundary water cooperation across the region. From engaging field visits to mentorship with leading experts, Blue Peace ME fellows acquired invaluable insights and forged meaningful connections. By the end of the fellowship, they collaboratively designed a new project proposal, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical application to address real-world transboundary cooperation challenges. This project will give them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and make a tangible impact. Moreover, Blue Peace ME is expanding their horizons by strengthening the Blue Peace Media Community and delving deep into the intricate interplay between water, energy, food, and ecosystems. This endeavor will be realized by creating the Water Exchange Hub, a regional platform dedicated to water and WEFE journalism, knowledge sharing, and communication. The platform is designed to bridge the gap between science, policy/decision-making, and regional media by facilitating exchanges and information sharing among journalists and media influencers with a keen interest in water and the WEFE Nexus approach.
3. WEFE Nexus: Enhancing water, energy, and food security while fostering more resilient ecosystems in the Middle East. Implemented under INWRDAM's WEFE Nexus Hub, Blue Peace ME WEFE Nexus contributes to a broader regional hub for knowledge exchange and the development of WEFE Nexus projects on the ground.