AMMAN — Jordan has acceded to the 1992 United Nations Water Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, in a move that aimed at boosting cooperation over shared water resources in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions.

 

Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud said that Jordan’s accession will enhance cooperation with neighbouring countries, facilitate the exchange of expertise with states facing similar challenges, and promote sustainable water management and climate resilience, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

He added that joining the convention supports implementation of the National Water Strategy 2023–2040, which outlines a long-term plan to address contemporary water challenges.

 

Abu Saud noted that Jordan faces severe water scarcity and ranks among the world’s poorest countries in terms of water resources.

 

Around 40 per cent of its water resources are shared with neighbouring countries, making cooperation on transboundary surface and groundwater essential, particularly amid rising demand driven by population growth, refugee inflows and climate change pressures, said the minister.

 

Despite regional geopolitical complexities, Jordan has concluded bilateral agreements on several shared water resources, including the Jordan River basin, the Yarmouk River basin, and the Disi Aquifer, Abu Saud added.

 

He said that these agreements have significantly improved access to safely managed drinking water, underscoring the importance of continued cooperation on shared waters.

 

By joining the convention and its global network of practitioners, Jordan gains access to an international legal and institutional framework for the equitable and sustainable management of both national and transboundary waters.

 

For her part, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Tatiana Molcean said that Jordan’s accession sends a “strong” message of leadership in one of the world’s most water-stressed regions.

 

She added that at a time when climate change and growing demand are intensifying pressure on shared water resources, Jordan has chosen regional cooperation.

 

The convention, she noted, provides practical tools to transform water scarcity from a source of tension into an opportunity for partnership, resilience and peacebuilding.

 

Molcean stressed that the UN Water Convention and related frameworks offer Jordan enhanced partnerships and climate resilience, as well as sustainable water management mechanisms, in preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference.