Rivers and Rivalries: A Political Ecology Analysis of the Transboundary Assi (Orontes) River Basin in Lebanese-Syrian Relations

Abstract

Transboundary water governance is a critical issue in regions where shared water resources intersect with complex political and socio-ecological dynamics. This thesis explores the Assi (Orontes) River Basin, a transboundary river shared by Lebanon and Syria, through the lens of political ecology and socio-ecological systems thinking. While Lebanon is the upstream riparian, its utilization of the Assi River’s waters remains limited due to historical, political, and governance-related factors. Using a qualitative research approach, this study employs thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with local resource managers, farmers, aquaculturists, governmental officials, and NGO representatives to assess perceptions of water governance, environmental degradation, and socio-economic impacts. Findings indicate that contrary to dominant academic narratives, Syrian influence is not perceived as a major factor restricting Lebanon’s water development. Instead, internal governance failures, systemic marginalization, and corruption are identified as primary barriers. The research also highlights the declining environmental health of the Assi River, particularly due to pollution from unregulated aquaculture and groundwater over-extraction. The study argues that Lebanon’s political and economic neglect of the Hermel region, where the Assi River flows, has exacerbated underdevelopment, overshadowing transboundary water disputes as a key issue. It challenges existing frameworks of hydro-hegemony, proposing that transboundary water management in smaller river basins should be analyzed not only through geopolitical power asymmetries but also through the lens of domestic governance inefficiencies and local socio-political dynamics. The thesis concludes by recommending institutional reforms, infrastructure investment, and enhanced cooperation between Lebanon and Syria to ensure the sustainable and equitable management of the Assi River. It also calls for a paradigm shift in transboundary water governance studies to account for internal governance structures and localized socio-ecological factors alongside traditional geopolitical analyses