Water Policy Networks in Egypt and Ethiopia

• Published in: The journal of environment & development Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 238 - 268
• Main Authors: Luzi, Samuel, Hamouda, Mohamed Abdelmoghny, Sigrist, Franziska, Tauchnitz, Evelyne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications 01-09-2008; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Authority; Cooperation; Economic assistance; Egypt; Environmental policy; Ethiopia; Government; Groundwater; Integration; Irrigation water; Network analysis; Nile basin; Nile river; Non-governmental organizations; Nongovernmental organizations; Policy making; Public policy; Social network analysis; Social networks; Studies; United States environmental policy; Water management; Water policy; Water quality; Water resources; Water supply; Ethiopia; Egypt; water policy network; Nile Basin; Ethiopia; social network analysis; Egypt
• ISSN: 1070-4965; 1552-5465
• DOI: 10.1177/1070496508320205

This article presents data illustrating the networked structure of the water sector in two Nile Basin states, Egypt and Ethiopia. Social network analysis is applied to quantify network characteristics. Implications for water policy design and implementation processes are discussed. Governmental agencies occupy the most central network positions in both countries. Intersectoral cooperation is weak, impeding effective policy integration. The limited connectedness to nonstate actors prevents the central policy makers from tapping all available expertise and implementation capacities. International donor agencies play an important role by connecting different types of actors. The higher prominence of NGOs and decentralized water authorities in the Ethiopian water sector indicates a comparably higher potential for pluralistic policy making. Social network analysis is found to be a useful tool to highlight cooperation patterns in the water sector, but its utility for explaining policy processes without supplementary qualitative information is limited.