EcoPeace in the Middle East: From water scarcity to geopolitical opportunity
EcoPeace Middle East relies on environmental cooperation by combining desalination and renewable energy to make regional integration a concrete driver of stability and innovation ⚫ WATCH
In a Middle East marked by tensions, Danni Reches, head of international advocacy at EcoPeace Middle East, champions a strong belief: environmental cooperation can become a strategic lever for regional stability. The NGO, present in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, and Amman, works to build peace based on concrete solutions around water and energy.
“The Middle East is the driest region in the world. In Jordan, sometimes water flows only one day out of ten,” she reminds us.
The water crisis goes beyond the sole issue of access to drinking water: it affects agriculture, hygiene, food security, and ultimately, national security.
Watch the full interview below:
Among the flagship projects is the “water for energy” agreement signed in 2022 between Israel and Jordan. Israel, a world leader in desalination, provides drinking water produced from the sea. In exchange, Jordan, rich in desert areas suitable for renewable energy, develops solar and wind installations intended to supply Israel with green electricity. It's a win-win exchange in a region where energy demand is soaring, particularly with the development of data centers.
But EcoPeace wants to go further. Danni Reches hopes that once the war is over, Gaza can be integrated into this model through the construction of desalination facilities, provided there are security guarantees. The goal: to create a tripartite framework including Israel, Jordan, and Palestinian territories, and to encourage a return to dialogue around common interests.
“Working on peace from a shelter during a war can seem surreal,” she confides. “But it is precisely in these moments that regional integration becomes indispensable.”
Beyond water, EcoPeace advocates for a broader vision that includes Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and European partners. For the NGO, the energy and water transition could become the foundation of a new regional paradigm: transforming scarcity into cooperation, and the environment into a driver of diplomatic innovation.