The Role of Data Sharing in Transboundary Waterways: The Case of the Helmand River Basin

THEORIZING TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, Kinga Szálkai and Máté Szalai, eds., Springer Water, 2024, https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/theorizing-transboundary-waters-in-international-relations/26580124

Texas A&M University School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 24-25

29 Pages Posted: 13 Apr 2024 Last revised: 26 Apr 2024

See all articles by Najibullah Loodin

Najibullah Loodin

Texas A&M University

Gabriel Eckstein

Texas A&M University School of Law

Vijay P. Singh

Texas A&M University

Rosario Sanchez

Texas A&M University

Date Written: January 1, 2024

Abstract

While data and information exchanges theoretically play an effective role in the decision-making process of a shared watercourse, in practice, there are several challenges that prevent riparians from sharing data in an effective and cooperative manner. This chapter seeks to assess why the riparian nations of the Helmand River have failed to adopt an effective data exchange mechanism although both nations signed an internationally recognized bilateral water treaty in 1973. Applying a mixed study approach, the study draws on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to interpret the main obstacles of data sharing between Afghanistan, the upstream state, and Iran, the downstream state, of the Helmand River Basin. Using both secondary literature data and stakeholder interviews, this research found a number of specific factors that impede the ability of the riparian nations of the Helmand River to share data and information, such as national security, political instability, lack of capacity, negative emotions, pride, and historical factors. Our research suggests that these underlying elements have been under-estimated in the TPB models of data sharing at the transboundary level. Thus, borrowing from Wehn’s model (2003b), we have developed a modified version of TPB to unpack the challenges of data sharing between the riparian states of the Helmand River Basin.
https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/theorizing-transboundary-waters-in-international-relations/26580124

Keywords: Helmand River, Hamoun, Water conflict, Chahnimehs, data sharing

Suggested Citation

Loodin, Najibullah and Eckstein, Gabriel and Singh, Vijay P. and Sanchez, Rosario, The Role of Data Sharing in Transboundary Waterways: The Case of the Helmand River Basin (January 1, 2024). THEORIZING TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, Kinga Szálkai and Máté Szalai, eds., Springer Water, 2024, https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/theorizing-transboundary-waters-in-international-relations/26580124, Texas A&M University School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 24-25, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4792875 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4792875

Najibullah Loodin (Contact Author)

Texas A&M University ( email )

Langford Building A
798 Ross St.
College Station, TX 77843-3137
United States

Gabriel Eckstein

Texas A&M University School of Law ( email )

TX
United States
817-212-3912 (Phone)

Vijay P. Singh

Texas A&M University ( email )

Rosario Sanchez

Texas A&M University ( email )

Langford Building A
798 Ross St.
College Station, TX 77843-3137
United States

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