Test Drive | Page 22

  d. equal  and  fair  (re)  distribution  of  costs,     e. benefits  and  risks,  and     f. conflict  prevention  and  resolution  mechanisms   14. For  all  these  institutional  elements,  all  parties  (i.e.,  the  donor  community,  Yemeni  government,  civil   society,  etc.)  have  to  be  aware  that  it  is  crucial  to  develop  context-­‐specific  arrangements.  These   arrangements   should   take   into   account   the   environment   in   which   local   authorities   and   WUAs   have   to   operate,   focusing   on   effective   cooperation   between   them,   the   required   capacity   building   and   training   of   staff,   joint   information   production   and   exchange,   how   to   deal   wi th   corruption,   and   how   to   provide   a   positive   incentive   structure,   which   stimulates   accountability   and   responsiveness.   15. When  common-­‐pool  resources  involve  the  interests  of  multiple  stakeholders,  as  in  the  case  of  larger   (cross-­‐border)   river   basins   or   groundwater   systems,   an   additional   design   principle   needs   to   be   added   in   order   to   lay   the   foundation   for   a   more   robust   governance   system;   local   parties   only     tend   to   address   the   local   issues,   whereas   national   parties   only   tend   to   address   the   national   priorities.  In  the  case  of  boundary  crossing  common  pool  resources,  both  the  local  and  national   voices   need   to   be   included   in   decision-­‐making.   Therefore,   multi-­‐level   collective   governance   is   needed.   As   collective   governance   does   not   emerge   spontaneously,   it   should   be   built   upon   traditional   governance   structures,   rather   than   (new   external)   state   structures,   with   active   facilitation  and  promotion.     16. Furthermore,  a  river  basin  approach  can  be  developed  and  implemented  step-­‐by-­‐step.  In  the  first  step   a   river   basin   approach   can   be   used   to   gather   data   on   water   rights,   current   usage   and   interventions   that   might   have   an   impact   on   the   availability   and   distribution   of   water   (e.g.,   check-­‐ dams,  deep  wells).  Projecting  these  figures  onto  the  physical  and  socio-­‐economic  change  can  help   to  identify  the  sources  of  conflict,  as  well  as  conflict  solutions.     Support  for  the  Rule  of  Law   If  traditional  approaches  succeed  in  maintaining  and  regaining  their  legitimacy,  they  provide  an  entry  point  for   strengthening  the  rule  of  law  in  the  longer  term.  Already,  in  some  areas  the  traditional  system  partially  filled   the  institutional  vacuum  created  since  2011  and  provided  adequate  solutions.  The  traditional  rule  system  is  a   flexible   system   and   may   adapt,   as   circumstances   require:   in   response   to   the   requirements   of   the   situation,   new   rules   and   practices   have   been   created.   Within   this   research   on   some   occasions,   the   outcome   of   a   conflict   seems   to   result   in   the   establishment   of   new   rules   to   govern   the   practices   (well   spacing,   common   ground,   common  water  resources,  etc.).  It  is,  therefore,  recommended  to  support  the  traditional  and  formal  rule,  by   combining  their  strengths.     17. Assist   the   development   of   a   fund   to   support   access   to   courts   for   the   poorer   populations   of   Yemeni   society.  Needless  to  say,  the  necessary  safeguards  should  be  put  in  place  to  prevent  capture  of   resources.   18. Develop   mobile   water   courts   for   water   related   conflicts.   Mobile   courts,   not   necessarily   related   to   water   conflicts,   have   been   recommended   before   and   attention   should   specifically   be   given   to   their   susceptibility   of   corruption.   Alongside   these   court   rulings,   these   mobile   courts   should   provide   education   on   the   applicable   laws   and   provide   technical   advice   in   relation   to   water   issues   (thereby   facilitating   conflict   resolution   outside   the   courts).   In   this   manner,   the   gap   between   formal   law   and   traditional   law   can   be   bridged   (and   the   legitimacy   of   the   court   rules   can   be   improved)   and   justice   is   made   accessible,   even   for   the   most   disadvantaged   groups.   Mobility   of   the   courts   has   also   the   advantage   that   political-­‐economic   connections   of   a   ‘crony   capitalist   The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations  9  of  241