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Title
World Bank - Making the
Most of Scarcity
Accountability for Better
Water Management in the
Middle East and North Africa
Abstract
Water—the resource itself as well as the irrigation and water supply services
derived from it—is important for every country. It is fundamental to
human health, wellbeing, productivity, and livelihoods. It is also essential
for the long-term sustainability of ecosystems. Here, in the Middle East
and North Africa (MENA) region, the most water-scarce region of the
world, good water management matters even more than it does elsewhere.
Water management problems are already apparent in the region.
Aquifers are over-pumped, water quality is deteriorating, and water supply
and irrigation services are often rationed—with consequences for
human health, agricultural productivity, and the environment. Disputes
over water lead to tension within communities, and unreliable water
services are prompting people to migrate in search of better opportunities.
Water investments absorb large amounts of public funds, which
could often be used more efficiently elsewhere. And the challenge appears
likely to escalate. As the region’s population continues to grow, per
capita water availability is set to fall by 50 percent by 2050, and, if climate
change affects weather and precipitation patterns as predicted, the
MENA region may see more frequent and severe droughts and floods.
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