Thanks for this interview. I am currently working on a short presentation on the human right to water and my part specifically talks to the privatization of water. I think it’s quite remarkable that in the past, mostly transboundary, it seems, water conflict has led to more peaceful agreements. How different are transboundary to internal water disputes, do you think? It seems like the dynamic of conflict is quite distinct. I think of Bolivia and the privatization efforts, bought from an outside company, sponsored and “forced” upon the Bolivian government by the World Bank and IMF. I just read that in Atlanta, GA and Hamilton, ONT they are attempting to reverse privatization because it has not been working. Talking about privatization, and specifically in countries where democratic institutions or capitalist economic systems are not in place or don’t function yet have increasing pressure from outside power nations (which arguably the US and Canada’s systems are weak in their own right!), where do you see room for conflict management and or transformation? Where, when, how do we start to see stakeholder involvement at the level of human security and up there with these mega-corps, IGOs, and govt dialogues?

Thanks so much. Those are very helpful links.

Yemen: Revisiting Demography After the Arab Spring (http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/04/yemen-revisiting-demography-after-arab.html)

Yemen Beyond the Headlines: Losing the Battle to Balance Water Supply and Population Growth (http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2011/06/yemen-behind-headlines-losing-battle-to.html)

And full “Yemen Beyond the Headlines” series, based on a full-day event last spring at the Wilson Center (http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/search/label/Yemen%20Beyond%20the%20Headlines)