Julian Shocron looks to provide information that shows the water reality in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. Julian Shocron is a firm believer that Israel has a chance to use water management as a vehicle in order to improve its strategic relationships with most Latin American countries.
While providing an insight to the water reality in Latin America, this article furthermore states the opportunities for Israel to share its water success story, water management “know how” and cutting-edge technology in water treatment.
Julian Shocron notes that while Latin America holds one-third of the global water resources, it suffers from poor management, outdated infrastructure, and the imminent effects of global warming. This positions many Latin American countries on the edge of a water crisis.
As a living body, the water infrastructure of a country is one of, if not the most vital organs of a national body. Access to potable water is an essential right of a country’s population, and managing this sacrosanct resource becomes a huge responsibility for the country’s highest echelons of power. Therefore, when a country grants access to another to help manage this resource, it invests an immense amount of trust in the third party. This concept is also known as “hydro diplomacy”.
There is opportunity for Israeli policy makers to introduce a long-term “hydro diplomacy” policy in order to tackle a now politically neglected Latin America. For doing so, Julian Shocron recommends the implementation of a long-term “Public-Public Partnership” between the Israeli government, the Latin American governments and members of the private sector both in the targeted countries and in Israel. Julian Shocron also recommends the Israeli government to send special “study teams” to Latin America in order to detect its pressing water needs and create a “twinning mechanism”. This is to develop joint strategies, tackle and prevent many water crises.
The adoption of the policies introduced in this article will provide the State of Israel with a unique opportunity to use water management knowledge to gain a new strong ally in the global arena. Furthermore, it will show how Israel can leverage its strategic relations in the framework of long-term and sustainable relations with the Latin American countries.
This article finds itself in the intersection of three-way phenomena: The first is an increasing isolation of Israel due to boycott and delegitimizing movements. The second is the beginning of a global water crisis which is expected to worsen in the near future and the third according to Juan Shocron, is a need to find global sustainable development solutions towards economic growth.
Israel is considered a” Water Superpower” recognized worldwide for its ability to turn an arid and water-poor country into the current situation in which it is today- a country with a historical water surplus.
Simultaneously, Latin America is experiencing a rapid increase in its population and the growth of urban centers increases the demand for potable water. These demographical changes together with the negative effects of global warming, present a challenge in the future access to fresh water. The Latin American continent has been politically neglected from an Israeli perspective due to a lack of interest in the region and skepticism regarding its importance as a global player.
Sharing Israel’s know how and technology in water management with Latin American countries sets the ground for a long term relationship in which the business relations and sharing of knowledge can be translated into better strategic relations.
Julian Shocron notes that existing research shows the Israeli government has been politically neglecting Latin America as a region. It was vital to find a mechanism to revert this situation in order to gain a major ally in the international arena while exploiting the economic and strategic potential that engaging with Latin America can offer the State of Israel. Therefore, it begs the question “How can Israel improve its strategic relations with Latin America by creating joint ventures in the field of sustainable development?”
Research has found that in the field of sustainable development, water becomes a key player in the sustainable growth and survival of a country. Israel is presented with a tremendous opportunity. Julian Shocron believes they have everything they need to capitalize effectively.
