This paper analyzes how development cooperation can actively support democratic governance through cooperation in the water sector. To answer this question, we develop an analytical approach based on democratization research and on water governance research. We tested the approach in three donor-supported water projects in Morocco and carried out over seventy interviews with key stakeholders.

Our findings show (a) key factors influencing the scope for external support for democratic governance in the water sector, (b) potential negative effects of the support when local elites grasp new resources, and (c) unintended positive spill-over effects of water projects on democratic governance within and beyond the sector (for instance, strengthening formerly marginalized groups). As these empirical findings suggest, there is a potentially large scope of action for supporting democratic governance through water sector cooperation. We therefore highlight the need for more analytical and empirical research on causal interlinkages between these two fields of intervention.

本文分析了发展合作如何通过水部门合作积极支持民主治理。为了回答这个问题，我们开发了一种基于民主化研究和水治理研究的分析方法。我们在摩洛哥的三个捐助者支持的水项目中对该方法进行了测试，并与主要利益相关者进行了七十多次访谈。

我们的研究结果表明：（a）影响水部门对民主施政的外部支持范围的关键因素；（b）当地方精英掌握新资源时，这种支持的潜在负面影响；以及（c）水的意想不到的积极溢出效应该部门内外的民主治理项目（例如，加强以前被边缘化的群体）。正如这些经验结果所表明的那样，通过水部门合作支持民主治理的行动范围可能很大。因此，我们强调需要对这两个干预领域之间的因果联系进行更多的分析和实证研究。