Armed conflict and forced displacement are taking an enormous toll on human lives, with the region accounting for about 60 percent of the estimated global total of battle-related casualties since the turn of the millennium. Conflicts and fragility have also had negative economic impacts, with countries directly affected by conflict such as Syria and Yemen losing as much as half of their pre-war GDP. Fragility also has spillover economic effects on countries not directly affected by conflict, such as Jordan and Lebanon, where GDP growth slowed following the onset of the Syrian conflict. Several countries not directly affected by armed conflict or forced displacement are undergoing political transitions, which has implications for development and stability.

Even prior to the recent political turmoil, several countries in the MENA region were struggling to manage their water resources sustainably and efficiently and to expand coverage of water supply and sanitation services. Now conflict has combined with weak institutional performance and contributed to an intensification of water challenges and a deterioration of water services.

The session builds on a partnership between FAO and the World Bank and will focus on how these issues, water and fragility, are related and how they should be addressed.

World Water Week is a conference organised by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The conference focuses on new thinking and positive action toward water-related challenges and their impact on the world's environment, health, climate, economic and poverty reduction.