Article 33 of the UNWatercourse Convention: a step forward for dispute settlement

With the prospect of the imminent entry into force of the UNWatercourses Convention (UNWC), its complex dispute-settlement mechanisms may soon become operational. This article argues that Article 33, in combination with the UNWC’s procedural provisions on cooperation, provides for a comprehensive and “integrated” toolbox in the prevention, management and settlement of water disputes, which may become an important point of reference for states engaged in long-standing and otherwise intractable water disputes.