Hydropolitics, Security and Development of Water Cooperation in Relations between Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan

Population growth and the expansion of the needs of the agricultural and industrial sectors in the Harirud basin countries (Afghanistan, Iran and Turkmenistan) have revealed the inefficiency of restricted approaches and plans for solving the problem of drought in the region. Regional cooperation in water affairs needs to pay attention to the importance of water for human security. In this framework, mechanisms such as management of integrated water resources, establishment of joint commissions for development and water plans, optimization of water consumption, modernization of irrigation methods, determination of water prices, and adoption of a legal regime can promote regional cooperation in the Harirud basin, in accordance with the shared interests of people living in the region.