1. One Belt One Road Summit 2017
A Challenge for International Coordination and Cooperation
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Qiong Lu, Ph.D.
The World Bank Group, Water GP
This presentation represents the views of the author alone and does not represent opinions, estimates or forecasts of the World Bank Group

2. Belt and Road Initiative
In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and Road Initiative).
The initiative is designed to increase trade opportunities between approximately 60 countries within the Eurasia region.
Vision and Actions: promote socio-economic cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road, more than just building roads, railways & port facilities.

3. Water stress in Asia
The heavily populated Asia is one of the regions that suffer from the most severe water stress in the world. Driven by population growth and the need for increased agricultural production, water resources in Asia are coming under more intense pressure across Asia.
source: ICIMOD
The Annual water withdrawal is higher than in any other region. Inadequate wastewater treatment facilities results in significant quantities of wastewater reaching water bodies.
The Asia Region is facing great challenges of water-related disasters. In 2013, over 17,000 people died from water-related disasters in the region, accounting for 90% of all water-related disaster deaths globally. Economic losses led more than US$51.5 billions1.
1. Connor R. The United Nations world water development report 2015: water for a sustainable world. Vol 1: UNESCO Publishing, 2015.

4. “One Belt, One Road” and the water stress in Asia
Asia (especially Central Asia) is a vital component of the BRI
The serious water stress and the fragile natural environment in the region could be an obstacle for the implementation of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ project. Water related disasters bring great challenges to the secure of the infrastructure investments.
The BRI initiative would contribute billions of dollars to infrastructure investment in the countries. the infrastructure investment could play a significant role in promoting economic prosperity and facilitating regional economic cooperation. With economic growth, the water facilities in the countries would be improved. But the economic growth would also result in greater water demand and potential pollution, which would add to already existing pressure on water resources in the region.
Many states in Asia share antagonistic relationships with each other, partly because of the unequal distribution of water in the region. Political tensions over water resources could be further inflamed if demand and supply trends change2.
2. The Thirsty Dragon: Addressing Water Insecurity in Central Asia – A Steppe on the One Belt, One Road Initiative? May 25th, 2017.

5. Addressing Water Security
Water Supply
Understand the impact of the BRI in the countries (water demand, urbanisation, economic growth)
Improve the capacity and efficiency of water supply utilities to meet the future demand for water supply

6. Addressing Water Security
Water-related Disaster Prevention:
climate change adaptation and mitigation in Asia
(appropriate land use planning, development of flood forecasting and warning systems, and preparation of hazard maps through financial and technical cooperation)
Source: ADB,

7. Addressing water security
Water resources management
Urbanisation pressure
Improving the living standard of the poor.

8. The World Bank Group, IBRD, Water GP
Contact:
Qiong Lu
The World Bank Group, IBRD, Water GP
South Asia Section