Geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics of water scarcity in oil-rich economies: the case of Kuwait

Global water scarcity is a growing international concern due to its implications for human survival. Freshwater can be considered a fundamental resource integral to our ecological and societal activities. The Freshwater-rising demand and shifting supply of freshwater in parallel with uneven and irregular distributed, are a source of significant friction among countries. Furthermore, unsustainable management practices can lead to substantial conflict among countries and communities as they attempt to secure their share, which can easily trigger violent confronta?tions (Gleick 1993; Michel 2020). Water availability has particular connotations in the Middle East; as water has emerged as a strategic resource that fuels disagreement and can easily translate into armed conflict.