Towards a partnership for water preservation



Rationalizing the use of water is becoming imperative. How can the Euromed partnership contribute to implement an efficient strategy at this level?


The inequality of water resources is part of the overall disequilibrium between the North and the South of the Mediterranean. Faced with this tragic situation, the Euromed partnership should act to preserve this vital resource in the region. First, it seems urgent to rationalize the use of water. This could not be done without an awareness program on household consumption, and without a radical change within the irrigation system. In this framework, North countries are called to encourage biological culture in the region instead of exporting their fertilizers. Furthermore, let us remember that water has a strategic importance in the region and is at the heart of Middle East conflicts. Safeguarding the rights of people to water is preparing the ground for a just and fair peace process.

Quantities of available and used water in Arab countries
(in billions of m3)
Country
Available Resources
Used in agriculture (%)
Jordan
1.1
75
Syria
29.8
78
Iraq
44.1
97
Palestine
0.3
67
Lebanon
3.7
70
Mashreq
79.0
91
Egypt
65.0
80
Algeria
12.9
68
Morocco
20.3
87
Maghreb
48.9
83
World
52260
71
Source: Arab Organization for Agricultural Development

 
Habib Maalouf
President of the Lebanese Association for Environment and Development

 






Your reactions
NAJI Abderrahmane, Switzerland | 18-11-2009, 11.15h

Cooperation is something blessed, but water cooperation is something that Allah will pay us for. If you give thirsty person a cup of water you will save yourself in the day of Hasher. So, I think it is very important idea to think of sharing our water resources with others who don’t have it. We should be united as Mediterranean countries first in order to overcome the shortage of water.

Amani, Lebanon | 16-09-2009, 09.33h

Water is life. We are not exaggerating when we say that most conflicts in the region have one thing in common: WATER. Awareness could be generated by means ranging from a simple TV advertisement to a water generating project costing millions of dollars. Those means can’t achieve anything nor can awareness among households be created if our governments have no awareness and are not 100% committed to solve this severe issue threatening not only our lives but also the life of coming generations.

Chadi Abdel Rahman, Lebanon | 25-08-2009, 22.43h

In addition to what Walid said, we also can generate electricity; cultivate a green Lebanon from the water resources we have! Good luck Walid in your project!

walid2000, Lebanon | 24-08-2009, 20.40h

Soon water will be the new source of power that the hole word is looking for, small invention we hope will born soon in Lebanon can let generator work on water and only water and this is enough to change the world.

walid2000, Lebanon | 24-08-2009, 20.36h

People don’t know that it is not hard to invent. Generator can work on water instead of gasoil or diesel, the operation need equipments but it is not hard, we are working on it and hope it will work soon.