Complexities and Opportunities of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: A Case Study of Water Resource Management in Afghanistan

Santosh R. Pathak, Neera Shrestha Pradhan (), Sadiksha Guragai, Bulbul Baksi, Fayezurahman Azizi and Arun Bhakta Shrestha
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Santosh R. Pathak: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal
Neera Shrestha Pradhan: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal
Sadiksha Guragai: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal
Bulbul Baksi: Partnership Brokers Association, London NW1 3ER, UK
Fayezurahman Azizi: National Water Affairs Regulation Authority, Kabul 1004, Afghanistan
Arun Bhakta Shrestha: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: Water governance is a sensitive and contentious issue that requires multi-stakeholder participation and judicious use of technology. The new water law in Afghanistan focuses on the participation of stakeholders in water management, equitable water allocation, task division, and decision-making at the sub-basin, basin, and national levels. This paper looks at a multi-stakeholder partnership approach aligned with technological solutions designed by ICIMOD to facilitate collaboration for the purpose of addressing the key challenges and exploring opportunities for river basin management in Afghanistan. ICIMOD helped to broker a context-specific partnering approach to strengthen collaboration for water resource management by embedding the principles and frameworks of collaborating in cooperation and strategic partnership with the Partnership Brokers Association, which entails a shift from commitments to engage with stakeholders to codesigning and implementing activities based on partnering principles to achieve the goal of water resource management in Afghanistan. The paper highlights and discusses the various cases of the project that offer reflections on the participatory approach adopted and the value addition that each partner, on the basis of their strengths, brings to the partnership. The paper highlights the positive impacts that multi-stakeholder partnerships can have on overcoming the complex challenges faced in strengthening water resource management in Afghanistan.

Keywords: co-creation of knowledge; multi-stakeholder; partnership cycles; collaboration; remote partnerships; water resource management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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