Khaberni - Reem Al-Rawashdeh writes:
The assignment by Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shar’a to his Foreign Minister Asad Al-Sheibani to deliver a message concerning “water sharing with Jordan” marks the return of the water file as a prominent theme in the political interaction between the two countries, at a regional moment characterized by increasing environmental pressures and declining water resources.
Water is no longer just a technical issue or a service matter, but has become a sovereign issue intersecting with national security and social stability, especially in countries already suffering from chronic scarcity like the Kingdom.
The sensitivity of this issue increases amidst alarming indications of declining water reserves, where the Unity Dam suffers from noticeable reductions in storage levels in recent years, reflecting the magnitude of challenges associated with water flows from the Syrian side, in addition to the impacts of climate change.
As the Kingdom entered the rain season of 2025–2026 amid real concerns of recurring water scarcity, particularly following a weak start.
However, the end of the season brought significant improvement that raised the total rainfall to relatively comfortable levels, which positively reflected on most dams.
Yet, this improvement hides a central paradox: internal water abundance in the center and south, versus external restrictions in the north, at a time when the Ministry of Water and Irrigation is about to put the final touches on the summer water budget.
The content of the message "water sharing with Jordan" comes in the context of a growing recognition in Damascus and Amman that managing shared resources, primarily the waters of the Yarmouk River, requires a new approach that transcends traditional calculations, towards cooperation based on mutual interests.
The Kingdom, one of the world’s poorest countries in terms of water resources, faces escalating challenges due to population growth and climate change, while Syria seeks to rearrange its economic priorities and reactivate regional cooperation channels after years of isolation.
Politically, the message carries implications that transcend its technical content, as it reflects a Syrian readiness to engage in practical dialogues with Jordan on sensitive files, which could serve as a broader entry point for gradually rebuilding trust. Moreover, it places the water file in a direct diplomatic frame, instead of remaining hostage to bureaucratic complexities or field conditions.
Conversely, the Kingdom will need a precise balance between protecting its vital water interests and being open to any cooperation opportunities that may enhance its water security.
Here, the importance of adopting a negotiating approach based on transparency, shared data, and monitoring mechanisms emerges, ensuring the effective and sustainable implementation of any understandings.
Ultimately, this message might not just be a procedural step but an indicator of reintroducing the politicization of the water file in Jordanian-Syrian relations, and transforming it into a tool for building understanding rather than a source of tension.
In a region where resource scarcity is increasing, water cooperation might be one of the few remaining keys to enhancing regional stability, without overlooking the necessity of leveraging the countries' membership in the regional “Blue Peace” initiative established two decades ago as a strategic concept aimed at transforming water from a potential source of conflicts into a platform for cooperation and trust-building.
