The Three Essential Elements for Life

The three essential elements for life that all living creatures need to survive are air, water and food, and the three are interrelated. Air has been available for all to breathe since the beginning of evolution. However, the quality of air that we breathe began to deteriorate since the beginning of the industrial revolution in Europe. The quality of air in our global environment began to deteriorate at a rapid rate with the advancement of industrialization and modernization, which require the increase in the production of energy. More coal burning as well as fossil energy is used. For example, the U.S., as of 2009, still relies on coal burning for the production of more than 50% of its energy. Other countries like China and India are burning more coal than the U.S. France is the only country that relies on nuclear plants to produce nearly 75% of its energy needs.

This led to more emissions of carbon dioxide, which began to have a negative impact, not only on the quality of the air we breathe, but also on the global temperatures, which have been increasing due to the emission of more carbon dioxide. This has begun to impact the North Pole. More ice is melting, and according to scientific projection, in 40-50 years he Mediterranean Sea water levels will increase by 1 - 1.2 m. Flooding will occur in many low lands especially in the Nile Delta of Egypt and other North African seashore areas.

In a previous post I referred to the projected possibility of flooding in Egypt's Delta Region. Also, the increase in global temperatures has begun to have a negative impact on certain geographical locations worldwide. The Middle East and North African areas have begun to experience less rainfall, more climate dryness and lower food productivity as a result of long durations of drought. The global environmental changes have been an international topic of concern by international organizations for the last few decades. Recently, the United Nations held its annual international environmental meeting in Cancun, Mexico. 190 nations met during the past two weeks (November - December 2010).

The conference participants concluded the meeting change, by agreeing on posing a modest new plan to combat climate, including a new "Green Climate Fund" to help poor nations. It also reaffirms the goal to raise an annual $100 billion in aid for poor countries by 2020. However, the new agreement does not include a commitment to extend "KYOTO" beyond 2012. (nytimes.com, 12/11/10). Last year, the U.N.'s climate summit in Copenhagen fell short of creating a treaty to slow down the emission of CO2 which is contributing to droughts, storms, heat waves and rising sea levels, all of which scientists claim are caused by global warming. The Cancun conference will simply firm up non-binding deals from Copenhagen, which were endorsed by only 140 nations. Still there will be more work to be done on the agreement that will be dealt with to seal the deal during the next U.N. meeting on climate change in South African in 2011.

Financial support from highly industrial nations who are the major contributors to global climate changes is very important to help developing nations who are dealing with the consequences of such problems. It is unfortunate that so far, the regions most negatively affected by climate change are relatively poor states that lack the financial support and technological know-how to deal with the consequences of climate change.

The Ethiopian Nile River Water Treaty

Recently, Prime Minister Zenawi made a public statement regarding Egypt and the Nile Water Sharing Treaty. He aid that Egypt can never win a war with Ethiopia and that Egypt is still living in the 19th century, which meant that the 1929 and 1956 treaties between the Nile River Basin countries and Egypt is no longer effective. According to these agreements, Egypt should receive 56.5 billion cu. met. of water per year. Most of that water (85%) comes from the Blue Nile, which starts in Ethiopia. The Nile River basin countries have been meeting over the past ten years to reevaluate the previous water agreements. As of the summer of 2010, no agreement was reached. However, five of the nine Nile River basin countries have signed a new agreement rejecting the previous ones. Ethiopia was among the ones who signed the agreement.

In the meantime, Ethiopia has been building dams to generate electrical power and use Nile water for agricultural irrigation. The International Monetary Funds and other international financial institutions do not support Ethiopia’s request for financial loans to build more dams. Since Egypt depends almost completely on the Nile River for its survival, international financial institutions are taking this into serious consideration. Such policies apparently antagonize the Ethiopian prime minister, which led him to state publicly that Egypt can’t win a war against Ethiopia.

Another factor that also didn’t sit well with the Ethiopian prime minster is the improving of relations between Eritrea and Egypt. Ethiopia and Eritrea have been conducting hostilities against each other for a long time. In addition, some of the Ethiopian opposition political groups to Prime Minister Zenawi have bases in Eritrea. Nevertheless, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak came out and stated publicly that Egypt has no intention of starting a war against Ethiopia. He further stated that there has been a discussion regarding the Nile river water sharing treaty and hopes that the treaty will continue to be the rule that the Nile River Basin countries abide by.

Water experts have already warned that Egypt will start experiencing serious water shortages by the year 2017 and the continuous flow of the Nile River is essential for Egypt’s survival.

The Arab Annual Environmental and Development Water Report

The Arab National Environmental and Development Annual meeting that was held in Beirut, Lebanon during the first week of November 2010 concluded with a very strong warning regarding shortages of water in the Arab world (aljazeera.net, 11/5/10).

The report revealed that the Arab world region is the most dry area in the world and water shortages will increase rapidly and will negatively impact the more than 360 million people in the region. The individual water share will drop below 500 cu.met. per person per year. The world average is 6000 cu.met. per person per year.

Furthermore, the Environmental Report revealed that due to global climate changes and the increasing world temperature, there will be a negative impact on rainfall in the Middle East and North African region. It is projected that rainfall in the area will decrease at least 25% and evaporation will increase by 25%.

The water shortages at the present in the Arab world should also be viewed in connection with the rapidly increasing population, which is projected to reach at least 600 million people by the year 2050. The Environmental and Development report strongly recommends a drastic change in governmental policy toward the regulation of water use in addition to the creation of a new strategy to increase the availability of water to meet at least the minimal required human needs. Without such changes, the Arab world will soon start experiencing dangerous and negative economic, political, social and health consequences. In previous posts on water, references were made that large percentages of the water used in cultivation, which is estimated between 80 and 85%. Most of this is wasted. Irrigation by flooding the lands is an outdated method that has been used for thousands of years. The new scientific irrigation method is through water dripping. For example, the present amount of water used in Egypt, according to scientific estimates, could irrigate at least 27 million feddan. Since many Arab governments are not working on plans to provide new sources of water, then at least they should start implementing a new policy of water usages. Furthermore, not only do Arab farmers misuse and waste water resources, but individual consumption affects the situation as well. One of the main reasons behind such water waste is attributed to the low cost of water to the consumers. In many Arab states, human water consumption is subsidized by the government. A new rate of water consumption prices should be created that will take into consideration the economic abilities of the various groups to pay the new rates. In general, water consumers do not pay attention to water consumption until they start paying for it.

I have personally seen in different locations in Egypt where water has been left running while someone is washing a car or tending to a garden. Furthermore, the water pipes network should be checked to prevent water leakages. Even in the most advanced countries water leakages from old pipe networks is not unusual. Nevertheless, Arab states can’t afford such water loss. In addition, the majority of Arab states do not have a complete nor efficient water treatment system. More than 80% of the untreated water is wasted. Such waste should be seriously considered in light of the present water shortages. At least some recycled water could be used for irrigation of golf courses and agricultural cultivation instead of fresh water.

The Arab population constitutes 5% of the world population, but has only 1% of the world’s fresh water supply. As a result of such situations, the Gulf region, which is the driest part of the Arab world, has been depending more and more on water desalination for water consumption. Nearly 70% of water desalination in the world takes place in the Gulf region. It is an expensive method to get fresh water, but most of the Gulf states have resources of energy and the public consumers hardly pay a fraction of the water cost. For that reason, water consumption in the Gulf region is among the highest in the world.

The Decrease of Water Supply in the Arab World

The Arab National Environmental annual meeting was held in Beirut, Lebanon on November 4th, 2010. The preliminary report written by Dr. Muhamad al-Ashari, reflects that there are 19 countries worldwide who suffer the most from the shortage of fresh water. 13 of these are Arab countries. Also, 19 out of 22 Arab countries are classified as water poverty stricken. Nevertheless, the 13 Arab states the report listed tend to have nearly 700 cu. met. per person per year. The world rate is 6,000 cu.met. per person per year. The Arab environmental report reflects that the 13 Arab states will have a severe shortage of water by the year 2025, which is projected to be around 500 cu.met. per person per year. According to the report, the global climate changes will have a negative impact on many regions around the world. The Middle East and North African regions will be among the hardest hit areas. Scientific projection revealed that there will be less rainfall, higher temperatures, dryness and more desertification in the Arab world. Yemen is classified at the bottom of the water poverty scale.

Recently, UNESCO issued a report reflecting that nearly 7.6 million Iraqis are suffering from the shortage of fresh clean water to drink. Furthermore, 83% of its sewage water finds its way into rivers. The Iraqi invasion in 2003 destroyed most of the infrastructure, especially in urban areas. The reconstruction and repairing of the damage caused by the war is progressing at a very slow pace. The UNESCO report revealed that 24% of the Iraqi population cannot get clean fresh water to drink. Furthermore, the decrease of water flow in both the Euphrates and Tigress rivers added to the shortage of water. Also, the drought Iraq has been experiencing for the past 7 years has added to the problem. (aljazeera.net, 11/2/10).

Egypt is also classified as a water poverty stricken state, where the average water available is around 700 cu.met. per person per year. The Arab Environmental Report noted that by the year 2025, the availability of water will drop to 500 cu.met. per person per year.

The agricultural sector consumes 83% of the water in Egypt. The rest is consumed by industry and human use (www.ahram.org, 11/4/10). It is very unfortunate that the government is moving at a very slow pace reforming the irrigation system in Egypt. The Egyptian farmer is still using the same method of irrigation as his ancestors did thousands of years ago. Agricultural experts stated that the same amount used in agriculture at the present time could irrigate around 27 millions feddan if the modern irrigation system is applied. These statistics should be viewed in light of the continuous population increase, the global climate changes and temperature increases. Furthermore, Egypt imports nearly half of its wheat from abroad. As I have indicated in previous posts, none of the 22 Arab states are food sufficient. Political leaders of the Arab world are in a deep sleep and those who are planning to do something about these challenges are moving at a very slow pace.

Israel’s Usurpation of Arab Water

At a conference of the Arab League (7/1/2010), water and irrigation ministers from Arab states declared that water scarcity in the region is the most dangerous challenge facing the Arab world. They pointed out that water is an issue of national security. According to the water strategy, which was discussed, one issue focused on the water stolen by Israel from its Arab neighbors. Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the West Bank’s water were targets of water theft by Israel during the past fifty years (almasry-alyoum, 7/2/2010).

Since its creation, the Israeli government has been implementing a policy of expansion as a part of its Zionist ideology and in particular the control of water resources of its Arab neighbors.

In an article in the Middle East (June 2010), Ed Blanche noted that, “Half the water Israel consumed is taken from its neighbors, the Palestinians, the Golan Heights of Syria, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Also, Israel converted Litani River in Southern Lebanon, which is 3 km. from Israeli borders by pipelines into Israel’s hydraulic network … furthermore, the Israeli invasions of Lebanon in 1978 and 1982 were motivated by the desire to control water resources.”

In previous posts, I have pointed out that Israel diverted the Jordan River’s water to Israel during the 1950s and 1960s. At the present, the Jordan River is drying out and the water flows that used to irrigate more than 30,000 acres of agricultural land has been stopped. In addition, the lack of water flow of the river into the Dead Sea has also stopped and this has lead to a rapid decline of sea water level that has already reached a dangerous point.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. government, under President Eisenhower, warned Israel to stop the diversion of the Jordan River water into Israel, but the government ignored the U.S. warning. American foreign aid to Israel was frozen for two years, but then was resumed and the Israeli water diversion continued. The U.S. government volunteered to help Jordan by constructing the East Ghor Canal, which is parallel to the Jordan River, to irrigate 30,000 acres of Jordanian agricultural land. These lands used to contribute 40% of the country’s agricultural produce. The canal was built at a cost of $15 million by the U.S. aid program. The canal stretches around 68 km. and was supposed to siphon water from the Yarmouk River, which starts in Syria and flows into the Jordan River. Unfortunately, the canal was destroyed by Israeli planes that were given to them by the U.S. and were not supposed to be used for anything other than self-defense.

The Jordanian government committed a big mistake by signing the peace agreement with Israel. It should have insisted that Israel first divert the water back to the Jordan River, which was classified as an international water way. Israel is an aggressive state that has no respect for international law, which is reflected through its military actions since its creation. Israel should not be trusted.

Further evidence of Israeli aggression is reflected also in the occupied Palestinian lands. It annexed 42% of the West Bank, especially where the underground aquifer water resources are located. The Israeli government implemented a harsh policy of water availability to the Palestinians. Also, it prevented them from digging their own water wells for their needed drinking water.

Amnesty International accused the Israeli government of denying Palestinians of their water needs. Israel controlled water resources in the occupied land. According to the report, Israel used 80% of the West Bank aquifer, which is the only underground water source and allocated only 20% of the water to the Palestinians. This translates into 300 liters of water per Israeli per day and only 70 liters of water per Palestinian per day (www.aljazeera.net, 10/31/2009).

Twenty Israeli human rights and legal organizations stated that, “The Israeli occupation of the West Bank in particular and Hebron and other areas deprived the Palestinian of their water needs as a means of ethnic cleansing.” These Israeli organizations have confirmed that the Israeli government has issued court orders of home destruction and denying the residents fresh water to drink under the excuse that the areas have been designated as military zones for security purposes. The Israeli Amnesty organizations revealed that Jewish settlements within a few kilometers from Palestinian villages are connected with water piped network. In addition, these Jewish settlers consume water at the rate of 236 liters of water per person per day, compared to less than 15 liters of water per Palestinian per day. Israeli amnesty organizations condemned the Israeli policy and noted that it is in violation of human moral ethics as well as international law (www.aljazeera.net, 10/31/2009).

The Israeli government has lost its ethical and moral values and has also violated international law as well as the UN Cha

Water Scarcity in the Arab World

An Arab League Conference was held in Cairo (7/1/2010) to discuss and develop a strategy to secure and protect water resources in the Arab world. The new strategy also includes coordination with neighboring countries to face the increasing challenges of water scarcity in the Arab world.

Water specialists at the meeting stressed the fact that 19 out of the 22 Arab states are classified as water poverty-stricken. They warned that the availability of water will drop to 500 cu. met. per person per year, while the minimum requirement is 1000 cu. met. per person per year.

The Arab world contains only 1% of the service water in the world and only 2% of the rainfall. Furthermore, 70% of the service water comes from rivers that start beyond the national borders of these countries. The land area of the Arab world is only 15% of the global land area. Only 30% of the land in the Arab world is suitable for cultivation and even this part is being threatened by desertification due to global weather changes.

It has been estimated that the amount of fresh water available in the Arab world is equal to 340 billion cu. met. and only 50% of it is used and the rest is wasted. According to water experts in the Arab world, 80% of the water is used for agricultural cultivation and it is not producing enough food to meet the increasing demand for consumption. For example, Egypt, the most populated country in the Arab world (83 million people) imports 60% of its wheat. As of the present (2010), not a single Arab country could be classified as self sufficient in food production. Demographers already predict that the present Arab population, which is around 345 million people, will nearly double in the next 25 years to reach 650 million people. At the Arab league meeting of Water and Irrigation Management, Mr. Amr Mousa, the director, urged the participants to start planning the construction of nuclear plants to desalinate water to meet the challenges facing the Arab world.

The Nile River Water Conflict

The Nile River basin countries meetings with Sudan and Egypt in Adis-Ababa ended June 27, 2010 without reaching an agreement on water sharing. Both Egypt and Sudan still refused to accept the new treaty that was signed by five members rejecting the 1929 and 1959 Nile Water sharing agreement. Representatives from international organizations such as the World Bank and officials from countries that are willing to participated in the construction of dams to generate power and other agricultural development projects attended the meeting. Egypt and Sudan continue to insist that no project should be constructed that will decrease the flow of the Nile River water to both countries. The Nile is the lifeline for Egypt in particular, as it provides 95% of its water needs. The Nile River water flow from the South (Lake Victoria) to the North is more than 5,500 kilometers and Egypt is located at the end before it flows into the sea. Egypt and Sudan’s opposition to the newly proposed treaty is based on international law that focuses on international rivers, where water is shared by more than one country.

Water is a national security issue that might affect the survival of countries that depend on it. Again, a classic example is Egypt, where annual rainfall tends to be very meager, not exceeding 2 inches per year. The members of the Nile River agreed to meet in the fall of 2010 in Nyrobi, Kenya. This meeting will be attended by the prime ministers of these countries. In the meantime, the Egyptian government should set an example for other members in terms of water management. Several reports have reflected that more than 45% of the Nile River water reaching Egypt is wasted. The vast majority of villages in rural Egypt still lack water recycling systems. Furthermore, the Egyptian newspapers have been publishing articles with pictures as evidence of the misuse of the Nile River in rural areas. The river serves as a place for the washing of clothing and cooking utensils, in addition to the dumping ground for garbage. Even in many homes, dripping water from the faucet is not unusual, because it is cheaper than bringing a plumber to fix it. In general, Egyptians are clearly not aware of the dilemma of water shortages in their country. The government must conduct a national water awareness program to preserve and keep water resources clean. Their life in the near future depends on it, especially n light of the continuous growth of the population, which has been estimated at 2.3 million people per year.

The Nile River – A Dumping Ground for Garbage

On June 12, 2010, a friend of mine called me and made some cynical remarks about my remarks on the Nile River in previous posts. He said, “Turn your computer on and read almasry-alyoum newspaper” (6/12/2010).

I complied and could not believe what I saw in the picture and what was written. The title of the article was “The Destruction of the Nile in Minia by Dumping 250,000 Tons of Garbage”. The picture was of big trucks emptying loads of garbage within a few feet from the water.

Local people living in villages across the Nile in Minia told the reporter Terreza Kamal that despite the presence of a factory that processes garbage in the area, it has been bypassed and the garbage was piled like a mountain instead. The reporter revealed that the garbage was removed from the West Bank of the Nile to the East Bank by an order from the governor of Minia to clean the area and covert the space into a public park and playground. It seems to me that the governor of Minia does not have the ability to see beyond his nose. Removing a huge pile of garbage from one side of the Nile to the other side is nothing but an act of stupidity. According to a report, the villagers have lost more than 40 feddan (acres) of good agricultural land along the bank of the Nile River, and in addition there is the terrible smell of the decaying garbage, which has caused some people to get sick. Furthermore, the garbage has blocked the road to go to Minia city. The villagers on the East Bank of the Nile asked why the garbage was not removed into the desert a few miles away. Government officials responded that the reason why that site was chosen is because it is a swamp land and needs to be filled so in the future it can be turned into a tourist attraction. In addition, approval of the site was given by the “Nile River Protection Commission”.

If the commission and/or those in charge have approved the site along the Nile River as a place to dump garbage, then these officials are unqualified to be in such positions. Just one simple fact among many is that the toxic effect of the garbage will fin d its way into the Nile River water. Those who made such a decision should be penalized with the severest punishment possible. After all, the Nile is the lifeline of Egypt and needs to be protected, regardless

The Iraqi Water Scarcity

Recently, Iraqi officials expressed their concern about Syrian plans to divert some of the water from the Tigress River for a new agricultural development project. If this project is implemented, it will have an impact on the Iraqi water share of the river. The Tigress River starts in Turkey and flows into Syria, Iraq and the Gulf.

The flow of water of the Tigress has decreased due to the construction of dams in Turkey and also due to the drought that has contributed to the dry weather of the past few years. Iraq began to experience more droughts and less water flow in both the Euphrates and Tigress Rivers since the 1970s.

Furthermore, the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the destruction of its infrastructure by American bombs have led to the deterioration of the quality of water, including drinking water. Water, which is not recycled from public sewers, tends to find its way into rivers and underground water reserves. This contaminated water has been a major cause of child illness and death. The U.N. (UNICEF) pointed out in a report that 70% of child illness in Iraq is attributed to polluted water. During the past 3 years, the International Red Cross has been involved in helping Iraq with various water purification projects. Furthermore, the Iraqi government has been trying to repair what the war destroyed to bring the quality of water to an acceptable standard (al jazeera.net. 5/27/2010).

The problems of water shortages in the Arab world were noted in several previous posts. Nearly 65% of the flowing water in the Arab world starts beyond its boundaries. Furthermore, the recent conflict between Egypt and Sudan with the Nile River basin countries regarding water sharing created major concerns, especially for the Egyptians who depend on the Nile for 95% of their water needs.

This situation and others led the Water Research and Study Commission of the Arab League to meet (May 24-25, 2010) to discuss and develop a strategy regarding water sharing of rivers that flow through international boundaries (al jazeera.net 5/27/2010).

Furthermore, Arab scientists and water experts have warned that the Arab world is facing the increasing challenges of the availability of water due to climate changes and population growth. The experts recommended the creation of a water strategy for the Arab world in order to meet the coming water challenges.

Egypt and the Nile River Basin Countries

Since May 14th, 2010, when five of the Nile River basin countries signed a new agreement rejected the 1928 and1959 Nile River Water sharing treaties with Sudan and Egypt, the mass media has created an almost panicked situation. Both Sudan and Egypt have already rejected the agreement relying on international law for support of their right to sharing the Nile River. At the same time, during the visit of Kenya’s Prime Minister to Egypt (5/24/2010-5/25/2010), he tried to assure Egyptian high officials that Egypt’s Nile water share will not be threatened by the new agreement.

In previous posts, I have emphasized the fact that the Nile River is Egypt’s lifeline. The Nile River provides Egypt with 95% of its water needs. However, the Egyptian government has been negligent of its responsibility to create a new policy of water consumption for the country as a whole.

Recent reports revealed that 57% of the Nile River water is wasted in many ways. For example, agriculture is consuming 80% of the Nile River water. The traditional irrigation methods that have been used by the Egyptian farmers for thousands of years, must stop and be replaced by new methods of irrigation. Also crops that require more water should be replaced by another crop that requires less water. Second, water recycling must be utilized all over Egypt as it will provide an additional 5 billion cu. met. of water that the country needs.

Third, the Nile River and canals in Egypt have been misused by the public. I have seen people throwing their garbage in the water due to the lack of garbage collection systems that is due to government failure to provide such services.

Fourth, I would venture to say that the Egyptian public in general is under the illusion that there is plenty of water for their ruse. Water use is abused at homes and outside where car washing by doorkeepers is common in many neighborhoods. In many cases the water hose is kept on and the water is kept running because they are not paying for water use.

Fifth, it has been reported that the underground water network is leaking and plenty of water is wasted. Some of these water pipes need to be replaced and this is the government’s’ responsibility.

Sixth, it seems to me that the best way to create public awareness about water use is to increase the prices of water use.

There are other ways and means of conserving water in Egypt. A recent report was published (www.almasry-alyoum 5/24/10), “The second part of the national report about the global weather changes and their impact on the flow of the Nile River Water” that reveals that the Nile River water flow will decrease by 50% by the year 2020 and 90% by the year 2095. The report was prepared by 35 Egyptian scientists in various areas of specialty who developed 10 scenarios about what will happen to the Nile River flow and rainfall as a result of global weather changes. The report should be read by those who can read and understand the critical water situation in the near future on Egyptian society.

Furthermore, the Nile River basin countries are among the most impoverished in Africa. Some of the projects that are being built, such as dams to generate electrical power in Ethiopia, are justified. In addition, agricultural development projects to feed their increasing population is legitimate. Egypt should extend its technical help to help the Nile River basin countries to progress. Such policy is the best approach to assure Egypt its fair share of the Nile River water.

Water Diversion and its Environmental Consequences

The Jordanian Friends of the Earth Organization met recently near the Dead Sea in Jordan. The organization reported that the Jordan River is drying out due to the diversion of more than 90% of its water into Israel. This process began in the 1960s in violation of international laws. The laws clearly state that the flow of water of rivers which cross international boundaries should not be diverted to the benefit of one state without consensus with others who share the same source of water flows. Israel, as usual, has ignored international laws and its actions produced serious negative consequences. First, Jordanian farmers in the Jordan valley no longer get enough water for their farms. They get 6% of the water flow and this portion is highly polluted. Israel mixed its polluted water starting south of the Sea of Galilee with the meager Jordan River water flow to increase the Jordanian share. The meager water flow is not even suitable for cultivation. Second, the diversion of a big portion of water is causing dryness in the Jordan River bed. Third, due to the lack of fresh water flow from the Jordan River since Israel began diverting water in the 1960s, there have been severe consequences on the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the harvest spot below sea level worldwide and it is drying out. The Jordanian Friends of the Earth reported that the Dead Sea water level has dropped 25 meters and the sea has lost one-third of its original size.

In previous posts, references were made to Israel’s aggressive policies, especially in regard to the control of water resources in the occupied West Bank, as well as tapping underground water resources within Lebanese boundaries. Such aggressive Israeli policies are in violation of international law.

The Israeli Water Strategy

In the previous post, references were made to foreign penetration in the Nile River basin, including the state of Israel. However, the Israeli water strategy behind the active technical and financial role in some of the Nile River basin countries, especially Ethiopia and Kenya, needs to be examined. Reviewing the historical Zionist movement strategy even before the creation of Israel reveals, among other things, that at the turn of the 20th century Zionist leaders in Britain approached the government to permit Jews to live in Sinai and to let them construct a canal to connect with the Nile River. The request was rejected by both the British and the Egyptian governments. At the time, Egypt was under British colonialist rule. Zionist ideology calls for the creation of “Eretz Israel” (greater Israel) that stretches from the Nile River west to the Euphrates and Tigris River east. After the creation of Israel in 1948, it began to gradually implement its water strategy. The Israeli Prime Minister Ben Gurion state publicly in 1955 that Israel was involved in a war for water with its Arab neighbors. Israel has diverted more than 90% of the Jordan River water into Israel without consideration of Jordan’s water needs. During the early 1970s, Syria and Jordan agreed to build a dam to divert some of the Yarmouk River water into Jordan to make up for its loss of water from the Jordan River. Israel warned that the proposed project would be bombed. Syria and Jordan canceled the project under Israeli military threats. In addition, Israel refused to evacuate the Syrian occupied land in order to control the shores of Lake Tiberias. Also, Israel tapped the underground water in the occupied Lebanese lands. Furthermore, Israel was in full control of the underground water of the occupied West Bank and deprived the Palestinians from equal water share.

During the 1970s, after Israel and Egypt signed the peace treaty, Menachem Begin, the Israeli prime minister, asked President Sadat if Israel could share the Nile River water with Egypt. President Sadat rejected the request and said they did not have enough water to satisfy their own needs. Israel’s water strategy moved toward the Nile River basin countries, especially Ethiopia, where 85% of the water that flows through the Nile comes from the Blue Nile. Also, Israel began to penetrate Kenya as well.

In an article in akher s9aa (May 5, 2010) Dr. M. Okasha noted that Israel is building 40 water projects on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia that will hold 80 billion cu. met. of water when completed. This will affect both Sudan and Egypt’s water share from the Nile River. Furthermore, Dr. Okasha pointed out that Israel provided Kenya with technical and financial aid equal to around $500 million per year. Also, Israel has been plotting in a secret ways to stop Egyptian influences with the Nile River basin countries.

In a book written by an ex-Mossad officer, “Mosha Ferji”, it was pointed out that Israel convinced the Africans in Southern Sudan to stop a joint project between Egypt and Sudan to construct the Gongly/Jonglei canal to save and store water being wasted in southern swamps.

Israel is planting the seeds of conflict that might lead the African Nile River basin countries to pressure Egypt to share the Nile River water. This prediction is because of Israel’s technical and financial help.

Since the death of Gamal A. Nasser, the Egypt government has gradually lost the influence it used to have in East Africa. The 1995 attempted assassination of Mubarek in Ethiopia created a hostile atmosphere between the two countries.

Only in the last few years did the Egyptian government begin to wake up to the indirect Israeli threat to Egypt through some of the Nile River basin countries. The next few years will reflect on the impact of the Israeli influence among the Nile River basin countries and its consequences on both Sudan and Egypt.

Revoking the 1929 Nile River Water Treaty

The new agreement which has been developed by the eight Nile River basin countries is being implemented gradually. As of May 14th, 2010, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda have signed the new agreement and canceled the 1929 Nile River water sharing treaty. Both Egypt and Sudan have objected and refused to go along and stated publicly that such an action is in violation of international law. The Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenowi responded by saying publicly that Egypt can’t decide how to use the water anymore. He also said that Ethiopia will continue to build dams to generate power and develop the agricultural sector because Ethiopia is poor and needs to develop its economy. He stated that Egypt will be better off if it will join the Nile River group. The most difficult part of this situation is the fact that Egypt is located at the end of the Nile River, which flows more than 6,600 kilometers before it reaches t Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, the rainfall on the East African region, which excludes the Nile River basin countries, has been estimated to exceed 1,600 billion cu. met. of water per year. Compare that to the meager rainfall on Egypt, which has been estimated at 1.3 billion cu. met. per year. It is unfortunate that nearly half of the rainfall on the East African region is wasted. It flows into swamps and valleys and only 84 billion cu. met. of water reaches Sudan and Egypt through the Nile River. So far, there has been no attempt to save the wasted rain water that could be used by all. However, during the past few decades there has been a foreign penetration in the East African region by the U.S., China, India, Iran, Israel and others. All are seeking to cultivate the region’s natural resources. At the same time, the Nile River basin countries are poverty stricken and they welcome the financial, economic and military aid being offered to them.

In its May 22, 2010 issue, the Economist revealed that China is lending Ethiopia billions of dollars, including $460 million to build a controversial dam on the Omo River. It is a well known fact that Ethiopia is among the poorest and hungriest countries in the world. Any financial and technical aid given to the Ethiopians will be accepted by the government. The critical question here is: what will be the impact of the construction of dams by China or any other states on countries down stream such as Sudan and Egypt. Both depend on the water of the Nile River.

There are some countries that have their own undeclared political strategy that they want to achieve. Israel is among the most active and will be discuss

The Nile River - Egypt's Lifeline

In a previous post, I have noted that Egypt and the Nile River Basin countries have failed to reach an agreement during their last meeting in Sharm el-Sheik (April 14, 2010). The past 10 years of meetings and official discussions of the 1929 water treaty did not lead to an agreement between the seven Nile River basin countries, Egypt and Sudan. The Nile River Treaty, which was signed by these countries while under British colonial rule, allocates 55 billion cu. met. of water per year to Egypt and a lesser amount to Sudan. Both countries are at the end of the Nile River flow. Furthermore, the treaties of 1929 and 1959 noted that no project should be undertaken by any member of the Nile River basin countries that might threaten Egypt’s water shares.

Nevertheless, on May 14, 2010, four countries: Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, signed an agreement rejecting the Nile River water treaty of 1929.

Egypt and Sudan have both rejected the new agreement, which doesn’t reflect how the Nile River water should be shared.

It has been reported that a high Kenyan government official said that the new agreement would only lead to further discussion that will produce a new agreement for the benefit of all.

In the next post I will try to discuss the factors behind the Nile River Basin countries’ rejection of the 1929 treaty.

Water - Egypt Most Urgent Challenge

During the past few years, Egypt has been meeting with the Nile River Basin countries, which include the Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Eritrea. Sudan and Egypt are classified as the countries at the end of the Nile River flow.

In a previous post, a reference was made to the fact that Egypt and the Nile River basin countries signed a treaty in 1929 when Britain was the colonialist power in the region. The agreement allocated 55 billion cu. met. of water per year to Egypt. The agreement stated that no project that can threaten Egypt’s water share should be undertaken by any member. The Nile River basin countries want a reevaluation of the 1929 agreement in order to develop their own agricultural and economic projects. A number of foreign countries are already involved in various projects of the Nile River basin countries. These include Israel, the U.S., China, Egypt and other states.

At a recent conference that was held in Sharm el-Sheikh (almasry-alyoum.com April 14, 2010), no agreement of understanding between Egypt and the Nile River basin countries was achieved. The meeting ended without any consensus of water sharing.

Some water experts suggested putting aside the 1929 agreement and instead creating an International Legal Commission to recommend how the Nile River water should be allocated. The committee would be the sole authority to come up with the rules of regulation in order to avoid conflict among the countries that are sharing the Nile River water. The focus of such a proposal is to accommodate economic development and cooperation among all the countries that rely on the Nile River for their survival. Egypt in particular is at the end line of the flow of the Nile River and its water is a matter of life and death for the country.

Furthermore, Egypt should start developing a new water strategy in light of its population growth and the increasing demands for water. It should also be taken into consideration that Egypt’s share of the Nile River water might decrease due to future increase of water consumption by the Nile River basin countries.

The Egyptian government should re-examine its water management policy and develop a new strategy that will meet the new challenges. For example, the agriculture sector consumes nearly 80% of the water supply in Egypt. A new technology is required that should be implemented to save water, but at the same time produces crops needed to feed Egypt’s increasing population.

Furthermore, a nationwide program to raise awareness of Egypt’s water poverty is necessary to enlighten the public, especially in urban areas where people are under the illusion that there is plenty of water available. Conservation should be a must policy and an increase in the water consumption bills must be adopted.

I am of the opinion that the Nile River basin countries will put their interests ahead of Egypt’s interests in term of their economic development. These countries are encouraged by foreign governments, in particular Israel’s, to proceed with their development. Again, the Egyptian government should be prepared to face the forthcoming challenges.

The Arab World – Water Scarcity and Sea Water Flooding

Recently, a conference was held at the Alexandria Library (April 1-2, 2010), which was sponsored by the Egyptian government and the U.N. The conference objective was to discuss the consequences of the global weather changes on the Arab world. Scientists and water management experts discussed three topics. The first issue is the increasing global temperature and its impact on the climate in the Middle East region. Experts predicted less rainfall and an increase in dryness that will enhance more desertification. Keep in mind that more than two-thirds of the land in the Arab world is already classified as desert. The decrease in rainfall will also lead to less renewable fresh water and this will impact the underground water reserve. Arab states are already water poverty stricken.

The participant also used a report that was published by “IPEC” which was the result of extensive research studies sponsored by international governmental organizations. The research focused on the consequences of global weather and environmental changes on Arab states economic developments. The report was published in 2009 and reflected that the Arab countries will be most affected by environmental changes. Most important, the increase in temperature will cause a decrease in rainfall that will enhance dryness and desertification. The decrease in renewable water resources will reach dangerous levels by the year 2025. The report noted that the Fertile Crescent, which includes Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine will lose its land fertility as a result of droughts. The second issue the water management experts noted is that the population of the Arab world constitutes 5% of the world population. However, they have only 1% of the global fresh water resources.

They called on authorities to impose strict water rules to save scarce water resources. The traditional water consumption habits must change.

Furthermore, the experts recommended that the agriculture sector, which consumes around 80% of the water, should change its irrigation methods to save water. New technology is available and it should be adopted to ensure the production of food in the Arab world. In Egypt, 40% of the labor force is engaged in agricultural activities and contributes 18% to its national economy.

Some of the experts suggested an increase in the price of water use, but no consensus was reached. The third issue the participants discussed is the impact of seawater flooding seashores of Arab lands. The scientific report revealed that the sea water level will increase by an estimated one meter. This will lead to the flooding of more than 41,500 square kilometers of seashore lands. The countries that will be affected most are Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Kuwait, Bahrain and the Emirates.

The report noted that 12% of Egyptian agricultural lands (Delta region) will be covered by seawater and more than six million people will be forced to flee the region.

Finally, the experts recommend that Arab governments should start preparing for such future possibilities (almasry-alyoum.com, April 1-2, 2010).

The information discussed at the conference should be publicized to Arab populations, especially in countries that will be affected by the global weather changes. The Egyptian government, which has already acquired the experience of building underground walls between Gaza and Egypt, should apply that knowledge to build above ground walls to prevent the seawater flooding in the Delta region.

Water Scarcity in the Gulf Region

According to the 2009 Arab Human Development Report by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), all of the Gulf states are water poverty stricken. Recently, the 9th Gulf states regional conference on water was held in Muscat, Oman (3/22/2010). The main objective of the meeting was to discuss water shortages and the development of a strategy for a better management of water resources. In light of population growth, increasing tourism and the economic development of industries and agriculture, a new strategy is required. More than 400 experts attended the conference in addition to public officials from the Gulf states.

Some experts emphasized that water consumption per individual in the Gulf states is among the highest in the world and that a better management system is needed badly. Furthermore, a complete system of sanitation and sewage networks should be constructed. Water recycling should be a priority for at least agricultural use. At the present, more than 30 stations of water desalination are in the Gulf region producing fresh water at a cost of one dollar per sq. met. Nearly 70% of water desalination projects are located in the Gulf region. Some experts promote passive energy sources such as the sun as a source of energy to cut the high cost of water desalination.

In addition, experts urged Gulf state governments to establish a joint water network connecting Gulf states in light of the growing population and the development of industries, agriculture and tourism.

The Gulf region rainfall is meager and it is among the driest areas in the world. Nearly 95% of the land is classified as desert.

Jordan - Water Poverty

In the previous posts, references were made to Jordan’s water scarcity. It is listed among the five countries with the least availability of fresh water worldwide. The shortages of water in Jordan began a few decades ago, when Israel diverted most of the Jordan River water into Israel. What is still flowing in the river is highly polluted and unfit for human use. In addition, the meager flow of water led to the sinking water level of the Dead Sea. It has been projected that the Dead Sea will dry out by the year 2050 unless new water flows into it.

The scarcity of water in Jordan should be viewed in light of the continuous population growth of 3.5% per year. Jordan’s population is around 6.5 million. Also, 92% of its land is desert. The renewable water in Jordan has been estimated at 150 cu. met/per person/per year.

In light of such a situation, the Jordanian government has adopted a strategy which reflects the following:
1) The Jordanian government began to implement the strategy of connecting the Gulf of Aqaba with the Dead Sea by constructing a canal that will pump 130 million cu. met./per year into the Dead Sea.
2) The government will also construct a desalination plant in Aqaba that will provide 240 million cu. met. of fresh water per year through the canal which will be completed by the year 2014. The cost of this project will be $2 billion.
3) The Jordanian government also signed a contract with South Korea to build a nuclear plant that will generate electrical power that the country needs badly.

When complete, the two proposed projects will enable Jordan to meet its pressing shortages of water as well as meet the needs of its growing population, which is expected to double within twenty years.

Let me also point out that the Jordanian government has one of the best water managements in the Arab world. However, the government should encourage people to limit the number of births per family. Family planning and birth control should be implemented in order to minimize the impact of water scarcity at the present and in the future as well.

Egypt Water Poverty

In the previous post, references were made to Egypt as one of the 18 Arab countries that are classified by the U.N. as poverty stricken states. The U.N. defines water poverty level as 100 cu. met. of water/per person/per year.

Egypt’s level is 700 cu. met./per person/per year. New information, which has been revealed by the Egyptian government, is that Egypt will experience water shortages equal to 15.2 billion cu. met. of water by the year 2017. Furthermore, Egypt is expected to consume 86.2 billion cu. met. of water in 2010. The Nile River will provide only around 71.4 billion cu. met of water. The shortage will come from the underground water reserves. (almasry-alyoum.com 3/23/2010).

The Nile River is the major supplier of water to the 84 million Egyptians based on the 1929 treaty with the Nile River basin countries. The Nile River sources are beyond Egyptian national boundaries. In previous posts, references were made that Egyptian government officials have been meeting with their counterparts from the Nile River basin countries to re-examine and re-evaluated the 1929 Nile River water sharing with Egypt. As of April 2010, no agreement has been reached. Let me remind the readers that without the Nile River flowing through, there will be no more Egypt as we know it. Furthermore, the majority of the Egyptian population is under the illusion that the Nile River provides all the water needed.

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the U.N. and UNICEF sponsored an awareness campaign about the fact that Egypt is facing a critical state of water shortages. The emphasis was placed on better water use and the prevention of water pollution. The U.N. Water Report reflects that Egypt, India and some other countries have entered the yellowish water stage. This means that the Nile River water is already contaminated. Water contamination causes the death of 30-60 people per 1000 population.

The Nile River is unfortunately polluted by industrial and agricultural waste and chemicals that find their way into the above and underground water sources. In addition, the Egyptian public also contributes to the pollution of the Nile River.

The Egyptian population in general is not familiar with their ancient history. The ancient Egyptians viewed the Nile River as religiously sacred and protected it from being polluted. The Nile River was considered the source of their existence. The modern Egyptian population, especially in the rural sector of the society, is a major contributor to the contamination of the Nile River.

It has been reported that nearly 40% of the Egyptian population still lacks the basic sewage and sanitation systems. This situation is a source of contamination. Furthermore, garbage collection has been a major problem in Egypt. Some of that human waste tends to find its way into canals as well as the Nile River. Who is to be blamed for such an environmental disaster? The public, or the government, or both. The preservation and protection of the Nile River is in the interest of all Egyptians. It also should be noted that Egypt is the most important country of the world in terms of its historical antiquities and for the fact that it became the birthplace of human civilization more than 5,000 years ago. Cleanliness and the preservation of the Nile River environment will also enhance tourism, which Egypt also needs.

U.N. Report – Water Poverty in the Arab World

In the previous post, references were made by the U.N. Global Water Report that more than 40 countries are experiencing water shortages. The report revealed that if all the fresh water on the planet were divided equally among the global population, there would be 5,000-6,000 cu.met. of water available for every person every year. Unfortunately, fresh water resources are distributed very unevenly. The U.N. report defines “water poverty” as any state that has less than 1,000 cu.met.per person/per years as “water poverty stricken”. Based on that definition, 18 out 22 Arab states have a lower level of water availability for their population. Furthermore, 60% of the fresh water in the Arab world its sources starts beyond its national boundaries. Sudan is the only Arab country that is more secure in terms of water availability. The rest of the Arab countries tend to be part of the dry region. Most of the rainfall tends to take place along the seashores. Nevertheless, the availability of fresh water fluctuates from country to country in that region, due to the imbalances between availability of water and demands.

For example, Jordan is classified as among the 10 states with the lowest availability of fresh water in the world. According to the 2009 Arab Human Development Report by the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), Jordan had some 150 cu.met. of renewable internal fresh water resources per capita in 2005. It is the sixth worst in the Arab world after Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Furthermore, the scarcity of water in the Arab world is going to get worse, unless the governments of Arab states start to immediately adopt a water strategy to meet the future challenges of water scarcity. The Gulf states have already begun a seawater desalination program to meet the water shortages in their part of the Arab world. It has been noted that nearly 70% of water desalination in the world is taking place in the Gulf region. These states have the two important ingredients: money and oil. Unfortunately, the rest of the Arab world needs to put their resources in order to meet the future challenges, which they are experiencing at the present time. These include:

1) Population growth, which is expected to double by the year 2030 to reach around 650 million people.
2) The rapid urban growth as a result of the influx of people from rural areas into urban centers. This will also increase the demand for fresh water.
3) The impact of global weather and the increase in temperature will intensify dryness and desertification. We have already referred to the fact that more than two–thirds of Arab land is barren desert.

In the next post, the focus will be on Egypt, the most populated Arab country.