Exposure to water scarcity in Mafraq is mainly linked to significant population growth, resulting from the influx of Syrian refugees coupled with a considerable physical water scarcity. The climate is harsh and the population of more than 25 million people faces great challenges in the light of rapidly declining water resources. The political economy of water inYemen - defined by entwined economic realities, geopolitical developments, migration and social hierarchies - reflects the challenges of sustainable development in a country facing extreme water scarcity.