Source - Middle East and North Africa

Libya, Tripoli: water supply resumed as rebels regain control of the Great Man-Made River Project

16 Sep 11

More than a week after the taps had run dry, water supplies to the Libyan capital Tripoli resumed on 6 September. This was two days after the rebels said they had taken control of the Great Man-Made River (GMMR) Project, one of Gaddafi’s most prized initiatives.

Egypt: World Bank supports improved rural sanitation for 1.2 million people

14 Jul 11

The World Bank has approved a US$ 200 million loan to support Egypt’s Second Integrated Sanitation and Sewerage Infrastructure Project (ISSIP 2). The project will provide mproved sanitation and sewerage services to about 1.2 million people in 19 village clusters in the Governorates of Menoufia, Sharkeya, Assiut and Sohag.

Palestine: right to water and sanitation campaign launched

13 May 11

The “Thirsting for Justice” campaign kicked off on World Water Day 2011, calling on European governments to put pressure on Israel to respect international law and Palestinian basic rights to water and sanitation. The campaign is an initiative of the Emergency Water Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH).

USAID supports MENA water network with US$ 1.5 million grant programme

12 May 11

Seventeen water centres from 10 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have joined hands to create the MENA Network of Water Centers of Excellence. USAID Egypt has launched the MENA Water Grants Program to support the network.

Middle East: report proposes master plan for water for peace

11 Mar 11

The Middle East is likely to plunge into a serious humanitarian crisis due to depletion of water resources, unless remedial measures are introduced urgently, says a new report “The Blue Peace” .

Arab world: facing severe water shortages by 2015

09 Dec 10

The Arab world is facing severe water shortages as early as 2015, as the annual per capita share will be less than 500 cubic meters. This is below one-tenth of the world’s average, currently estimated at over 6,000 cubic meters of water per capita per year, according to a report released by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED).

Palestine: UN Human Rights Committee says Israel denies access to water

01 Sep 10

For the first time ever, the Human Rights Committee has addressed denial of access to water and sanitation as violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), says the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE).