The transboundary watercourse management under international law: The comparative cases of Tigris-euphrates and Nile River Basin

Though about two-thirds of our world is covered with water, it is still one of the major disputed resource areas. Especially, the transboundary watercourses need utmost critical attention as it involves different conflicting States interests over the shared resources. Due to these conflicting interests, there are no smooth practices and the practices differ from time to time and basin to basin. For these reasons, different regional basin states follow different transboundary watercourses management approaches. In this aspect, the study tries to articulate transboundary watercourses management – from international law perspective in general and – from Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Bain cases in particular. In an attempt to correlate the transboundary watercourse management under International Law with the practices of Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Basins in a comparative manner, the study address whether there are guiding legal regimes in the latter river basins management or not? If so, what are the nature, legality and scope of application in the aforesaid basins' management in light of international law? The study also addresses whether there are joint institutional arrangements in place for Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Basin management or not? If so, what are the type, nature and scope of the joint institutional arrangement in the foregoing basins' management? The study finally addresses whether the Tigris-Euphrates River Basins' watercourse management can be considered as an exemplary experience in solving the possible gaps observed in the Nile River Basin management, or vice versa or not? In addressing the aforementioned issues, the study aims to come up with – 1) from international law perspectives, the guiding legal regimes of Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Basins management, – 2) from administrative institutional perspective, the existing basin-wide organizational set up in Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Basins, – 3) from comparative perspective, the similarities and differences of Tigris-Euphrates and Nile River Basins management coupled with their respective possible gaps and better experiences in lesson-to-be learned way from each other. Keywords: Basin Institutional Arrangement, International Watercourse Law, Nile River Basin, Tigris-Euphrates River Basin, Transboundary Watercourses Management