Trust and Political Will in Managing Water in Multi-stakeholder Settings

Richard Meissner, UNISA (South Africa)
Jeroen Warner, Wageningen University (Netherlands)
Nigar Kasirga, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)

In this paper, we unpack the relationship between trust (ability and goodwill) and political will in water management and security interactions. We define trust, and more specifically, political trust as a dynamic and context-specific construct, which is shaped by historical circumstances and power dynamics that influence stakeholder interactions. Trust is complex and multi-dimensional. It is a psychological state wherein the truster holds positive expectations about the trustee, believing they have the ability and goodwill to act, despite potential risks involved. The (cap)ability and goodwill to act are necessary for governments to address problems in the water sector. Both trust elements relate to political will, which refers to the determined commitment of leaders or decision-makers to address issues through effective policies, resource allocation, and strategic approaches. Goodwill can be a supportive social and relational foundation that helps political will manifest effectively in tense negotiation contexts. Political leaders and decision-makers may need goodwill from stakeholders to build or sustain political will in pursuing policies, but also to help international water negotiations succeed in a low-trust context.

We use several context-specific cases at multiple levels where the relationship manifested, such as hydrodiplomacy in post-independent Namibia, Cape Town’s “Day Zero” predicament, the River Scheldt negotiations in Northwest Europe, and the South African Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) Platform for a Water Secure Gauteng initiative.