Water and Food Security in MENA: Navigating Shared Risks and Regional Solutions

The Observer Research Foundation Middle East (ORF ME), in partnership with the Rabdan Security and Defence Institute (RSDI), is pleased to host the Food and Water Security Dialogues in the lead-up to the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal next year.

Water and food security are becoming increasingly vital to the MENA region’s sustainable development and resilience. This panel will explore how climate change, rising demand, and environmental stress are intensifying water scarcity and challenging traditional approaches to resource management. From the Gulf’s innovative strategies for managing extreme scarcity to the adaptation efforts emerging in North Africa and the Levant, the discussion will highlight regional pathways to building more resilient food and water systems. It will also spotlight opportunities for cooperation – such as shared water basin management, regional food trade corridors, and climate-smart infrastructure and explore the evolving role of water and food diplomacy in promoting sustainability and regional integration.

Driving Questions

How can MENA countries overcome structural water scarcity while ensuring long-term food security? What role can innovation and technology play in transforming regional agriculture and water management? How are Gulf states adapting their water and food systems for a climate-constrained future? What models of transboundary cooperation exist—or need to be built—to manage shared water resources and ensure food security in the region? How can food and water diplomacy contribute to greater regional integration in MENA?