DE8 | Key Points to Understand the Continuity of the Binational Water Issue in Northern Chile
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AthenaLab published a GEOPOLITICAL UPDATE OF NORTHERN CHILE in September 2023, focusing on the northern border of Chile with Peru, in the Arica and Parinacota Region. One of the topics addressed was the water situation in the studied area, particularly the shared water resources from west to east, namely: the underground wells in the La Concordia ravine basin —in the coastal sector—; the shared resources in Laguna Blanca, and those resulting from the water flow of the Uchusuma canal. Furthermore, the water crisis, as a crucial element for life, is today one of the main challenges at a global level, constituting one of the resources with the highest strategic value for the country. Therefore, having passed almost two years since the present study and conducted a field visit, we have revisited the previously described situation —including aspects of population concentration— and found that despite the population increase in Tacna and the significant population concentration in the city of Arica (Census Chile 2024), along with the persistent claims of the Aymara communities in the General Lagos commune, the water situation remains unchanged, with Peru not having adopted remedial measures to minimize the impact of resource use, as an additional effect on the respective environment. Hence, the path of bilateral dialogue must be complemented with other mechanisms for dispute resolution that provide a definitive solution to this problem.
