Poverty in Africa linked to water management

NAIROBI – African countries will be hard pressed to emerge from poverty due to poor water management ,not a lack of available water, the United Nations said on Thursday.

“There is enough fresh water in Africa for everybody, but management of water resources is less than optimal,” said Nick Nuttall, spokesperson of the UN Environment Programme. Nuttall spoke in Nairobi after the release of a UN report on water development ahead of the Fourth World Water Forum in Mexico City, which links mismanagement of water to development.”Water is power and those who control the flow of water in time and space can exercise this power in various ways.It is often claimed that clean water tends to gravitate towards the rich and waste water towards the poor,” it said.The majority of Africa’s population live on less than a dollar a day and African countries lack the basic infrastructure to provide adequate health services.The United Nations estimates 1,1 billion people globally do not have access to safe drinking water and 2,6 billion still do not have basic sanitation.In sub-Saharan Africa access increased from 49 per cent to 58 per cent between 1990 and 2002 but that fell short of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 75 per cent, the report said.Although it is unevenly distributed, there is plenty of water for everyone in the world, but poor management is why everyone does not have access, the United Nations said.In water-scarce North Africa, good water management is the reason its countries use more of available water than water-rich sub-Saharan Africa, said Kevin Pietersen, director of the South Africa-based Water Research Commission.The report said Algeria uses 42 per cent of its available water while the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has twice as much water, only uses 0,03 per cent.Improved water management can also boost a country’s economic growth.In Kenya, improved ability to deal with floods and drought could help raise its gross domestic product from five per cent to six per cent annually, the report said.Water management also impacts energy output, one of the most important ingredients for economic growth in developing countries.”While Europe makes use of 75 per cent of its hydropower potential, Africa – where 60 per cent of the population has no access to electricity – has developed only seven per cent of its potential,” the report said.In Ethiopia, it is estimated that 30 000 megawatts (MW) of hydropower can be generated from existing water, but only 670 MW are actually used, the report said.- Nampa-ReutersNuttall spoke in Nairobi after the release of a UN report on water development ahead of the Fourth World Water Forum in Mexico City, which links mismanagement of water to development.”Water is power and those who control the flow of water in time and space can exercise this power in various ways.It is often claimed that clean water tends to gravitate towards the rich and waste water towards the poor,” it said.The majority of Africa’s population live on less than a dollar a day and African countries lack the basic infrastructure to provide adequate health services.The United Nations estimates 1,1 billion people globally do not have access to safe drinking water and 2,6 billion still do not have basic sanitation.In sub-Saharan Africa access increased from 49 per cent to 58 per cent between 1990 and 2002 but that fell short of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 75 per cent, the report said.Although it is unevenly distributed, there is plenty of water for everyone in the world, but poor management is why everyone does not have access, the United Nations said.In water-scarce North Africa, good water management is the reason its countries use more of available water than water-rich sub-Saharan Africa, said Kevin Pietersen, director of the South Africa-based Water Research Commission.The report said Algeria uses 42 per cent of its available water while the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has twice as much water, only uses 0,03 per cent.Improved water management can also boost a country’s economic growth.In Kenya, improved ability to deal with floods and drought could help raise its gross domestic product from five per cent to six per cent annually, the report said.Water management also impacts energy output, one of the most important ingredients for economic growth in developing countries.”While Europe makes use of 75 per cent of its hydropower potential, Africa – where 60 per cent of the population has no access to electricity – has developed only seven per cent of its potential,” the report said.In Ethiopia, it is estimated that 30 000 megawatts (MW) of hydropower can be generated from existing water, but only 670 MW are actually used, the report said.- Nampa-Reuters