INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER IN WATER GEOPOLITICS AND DIPLOMACY

As a former CEO of the Mekong River Commission and an internationally recognized expert in water geopolitics and diplomacy, I bring the voice of experience from over 50 countries — from nomadic communities in the Sahel to high-level negotiations in Southeast Asia.

My conferences address some of the most pressing questions of our time:

Will the world run out of water? What lies behind growing water shortages, and how do they affect global stability? Are we heading towards water wars? How can we prevent them? How do water issues intersect with food security, migration, and wider geopolitical interdependencies?

I explore the root causes of the global water crisis, the links between water scarcity, food insecurity, water-related conflicts and water-driven migration, as well as the growing risks of floods and droughts amplified by climate change and increasing hydrological variability.

To respond to the challenges around international waters, I have developed my own vision of water diplomacy: a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to transforming water-related tensions around large-scale infrastructures into long-standing cooperation. This vision is embodied in the Doctrine of Coordinated Investments (DCI) — a strategic framework designed to align water-related investments across borders and sectors, and to foster durable cooperation in international river basins. Grounded in decades of field experience, the DCI offers a practical path toward peace, stability, and shared prosperity.