Water Security in Fragile States: Mapping Governance and Water Access in Libya

The nation of Libya, among others of the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region, encounters both fragile governance and natural aridity. This study addresses both by introducing a water security framework that connects water resources to infrastructure investment using geographic data and metrics. A demonstration analyzes water security indices across Libya's political jurisdictions. The results identify locations where there are significant deficits in both natural resources and access to infrastructure and the approach supports discussion of possible policy interventions and priorities for adaptive governance. The outcomes can support water scientists, policymakers, and others with expertise across community resilience, rebuilding of states, and institutional/organizational behaviors.