Abstract

This paper analyzes the dynamics of water diplomacy in Central Asia, focusing on institutional models of water diplomacy, compares the UN, the EU and World Bank’s approaches as well as assesses Uzbekistan’s changing strategy since 2016.

This paper examines how renowned international bodies form the practice of water diplomacy through their governance structures, mandates, and operative tools. I aim to develop a comparative analytical framework for understanding how these institutional models approach transboundary water cooperation and solve this acute problem in the region.

First of all, my research advances the preliminary argument that water diplomacy is not a unitary practice, but assumes institutionally specific forms. It indicates that they operate under different logics, framework that affect the method water-related challenges are defined and tackled.

For instance, the UN prioritizes multilateral diplomacy, dialogue, and international norms whilst the EU approach is towards regulatory alignment and conditional cooperation. On the other hand, the World Bank tends to financing perspective of water diplomacy, with investment projects and technical assistance as main instruments!

This paper combines document-based research and qualitative comparative institutional analysis; it comprises policy strategies, program documents, reports, evaluation papers, supported by academic literature on water governance, international establishments and environmental diplomacy. Notably, Central Asian river basins illustrate the institutional approach in a preliminary stage of the dissertation. It presents an analytical framework in which global and regional institutions influence on environmental cooperation.