Flowing together: Learning Event For Stakeholders In Water, Peace, and Security Initiatives In Turkana County
This working paper summarises a learning event as part of water, peace and security (WPS) implementation in Turkana county.
The event brought together state and non-state stakeholders involved in interventions related to WPS with the aim of consolidating best practice from Water and Peace nexus work in Turkana county and at the national level. The learning event provided a platform for key actors to discuss information generated from project implementation, identify key lessons learned, and emerging themes, and agree on ways of adapting the best practices in their respective institutions and organizations.
The interplay between water resources, peace and security is increasingly gaining attention as the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, population growth, and intensifying resource competition. As the sector evolves, several emerging trends are shaping the discourse around this critical intersection. One of the most pressing trends revolves around the impact of climate change on water resources. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and a surge in extreme weather events, especially in arid and semi-arid areas of Africa, are culminating in heightened water scarcity. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of conflicts arising over access to and distribution of water resources, as seen, for example, in Kenya. Furthermore, population displacement, another emerging trend, also intersects with water peace and security concerns. The climate-induced challenges and conflicts compel populations, especially pastoralists, to migrate in pursuit of water and pasture. This migration places additional stress on regions already grappling with water scarcity, thereby exacerbating protracted intercommunal conflicts.
