A 500-kilometre underground pipeline from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates has been proposed as a solution to solving water scarcity in the UAE.

Background

Abdulla Al Shehi, an Emirati businessman, has proposed the construction of a pipeline running from the Dasht River in Pakistan to Fujairah in the UAE in an effort to secure greater water availability for the water-scarce country. Annual floods in Pakistan’s Dasht River are currently drained out to sea; the proposal offers to divert Pakistan’s excess water for use in the UAE. Pakistan itself, however, is water-scarce too.

Comment

The Gulf state relies on desalination to meet 80 per cent of its water requirements. A previous FDI paper outlining the extent of the UAE’s water scarcity noted, however, that desalination is expensive and energy-intensive. With very little regular rainfall and dwindling groundwater sources, the heavy reliance on desalination as its main water supply puts the UAE at risk of extreme water shortages should its desalination plants be targeted by militants. On the other hand, unlike the UAE, Pakistan’s water challenges are mostly caused by resource mismanagement.

The UAE’s arid and dry climate impinges upon its ability to use water efficiently. Despite its climate, which is unsuitable for agricultural production, the UAE continues to produce a range of agricultural outputs, including the majority of its fruit and vegetable demand. The UAE currently uses 70 to 80 per cent of its precious water resources on agriculture. The proposed pipeline is predicted to provide the country with an increased water supply and organic matter that is beneficial for fertilising soils. Both resources would improve the UAE’s agricultural efficiency and crop irrigation. The additional water supply, it is predicted, would also increase the country’s dwindling groundwater levels.

Mr Al Shehi argues that the pipeline would reduce the risk of flooding in Pakistan. The proposal to divert “spare” water from the Dasht River into the UAE does not, however, assist Pakistan in addressing its own water scarcity issue. While Pakistan currently channels its excess water out to sea, some claim that the water should instead be diverted into storage for use in Pakistan. Exporting water is not a considered approach when the country does not have an abundance of the resource.

The businessman proposing the pipeline claims that the relationship between the UAE and Pakistan is free from political problems that would impede the project. According to the UAE Embassy in Islamabad, the bilateral relationship between the two countries is a ‘trust-worthy strategic partnership’. The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest investors and has an active humanitarian role in the country. Others note that political problems could arise during the project. Reports indicate that the relationship between the UAE and Pakistan may be weakening, particularly after Pakistan declined an invitation by Saudi Arabia to join a military alliance against Yemen in August last year. India is also developing a closer relationship with the UAE. The possibility exists for the geopolitical status between the UAE and Pakistan to shift in the future. Developing a transboundary pipeline between the two countries would create a state of hydro-dependency where the UAE is reliant on Pakistan for its water supply.

The idea to divert excess water from Pakistan is innovative and offers an alternative source of water security against the UAE’s dwindling water supply and its heavy reliance on desalination. Given the complex web of geopolitics and the dependency that the UAE would have upon Pakistan, there may be more practical and efficient alternatives for the UAE to conserve its precious water. Instead of importing the water required for its agricultural production, the UAE may be better served – both economically and in terms of water conservation – to import produce from more agricultural-efficient nations. The growing challenge of climate change and significant water shortages in both countries requires strategic demand and supply-side management. Sourcing supply from one water-scarce country to another for unsustainable agricultural use may not be the best way to ensure future water supply.