World Water Crisis (LIFE)

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Experts: Mideast heading for water crisis
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093280818
The Peninsula - 04/11/2009
(MENAFN - The Peninsula) With population fast growing and resources swift dwindling, the Middle East is heading
for a severe water crisis leading to a possible conflict in the region. A Cooperation in water sharing is the only way
to end a possible conflict on water crisis in the region, said a group of experts while participating in a panel
discussion being hosted by George Town University's School of Foreign Service in Qatar on Monday.
At the discussion on "Water, Energy and Climate Change in the Gulf" Sharif Elmusa, Visiting Associate Professor of
Georgetown University in Qatar said access to water is denied to an estimated 1bn people across the globe and
the Middle East may be heading for a conflict on he question of water sharing.
The rapid population and shrinking water resource may lead to severe conflicts in the Middle East. And if there
would be a war in the name of water sharing, it would break out first in the Arab region, where Turkey, Syria and
Iraq have the major water resources, he said.
Elmusa said Turkey and Iraq had a dispute over water sharing in 1975. Sudan and Egypt also fight over water
sharing in "90s. Being a poor nation Ethiopia hasn't enough dams to check the flow of its water resource to the
Egypt. Once they start building dams, Egypt will face major shortage of drinking water. Sudan and Egypt will have
also similar problems, he said.
Despite existing agreements, dwindling resources and population growth have elevated the strategic importance of
water in the region. For Middle Eastern nations, many already treading the razor's edge of conflict, water is
becoming a catalyst for confrontation - an issue of national security and foreign policy as well as domestic stability.
Given water's growing ability to redefine interstate relations, the success of future efforts to address water sharing
and distribution will hinge upon political and strategic approaches to this diminishing natural resource.
Mari Loumi, currently a Researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, said the Gulf region is facing
severe environmental problems. The climatic change has its impact on the gulf. High rate of sea level rising in the
region is a warning signal to the region, she said
The Middle East region is likely to face severe water and food shortage problems. This would lead to large scale
migration and consequent tension and conflict in the region, Luomi said.
Time Beach, Associate Professor of Geography and Geoscience, School of Foreign Service in Washington DC,
Georgetown University also spoke. Mehran Kamrava, Interim Dean, School of Foreign Service, Director of Center
for International and Regional Studies, Georgetown University Qatar, was the moderator.
By Satish Kanady