How can the United States formulate its foreign policy to meet global water challenges?

Water issues are critical to U.S. national security and integral to upholding American values of humanitarianism and democratic development. Moreover, engagement with international water issues guarantees business opportunity for the U.S. private sector, which is well positioned to contribute to development and reap economic reward.

The regions of the world critical to U.S. foreign strategy—South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa—are the same regions that face the most acute water shortages. Senate Majority Leader William H. Frist, M.D., has often remarked that “Water is a currency for peace.” To that end, achieving U.S. foreign policy objectives—developing democracy around the globe and ensuring peace and stability at home and abroad—are directly tied to the basic necessity of ensuring the availability of clean, safe drinking water and of basic sanitation facilities. As the recent tsunami disaster demonstrated, U.S. leadership can stimulate a heightened global response. Directing U.S. attention toward water issues will translate into goodwill and political capital, as well as an improved perception of the United States abroad.

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