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East Africa: Aquacalypse Now
September 30th, 2009
Courtesy of The Economist, a report on a looming water crisis in East Africa that is likely to give rise to increased violence in this already fragile part of the world. As the article notes: “…This year’s drought is the worst in east Africa since 2000, and possibly since 1991. Famine stalks the land. The […]
Read more »Lake Victoria: Falling Water Levels Give Rise To Increased Politics
August 17th, 2009
Courtesy of The New York Times, an interesting look at the complex issues surrounding Lake Victoria (border confusion, climate change, and waning water & marine resources. As the report notes: “…Migingo, Lake Victoria — This little island doesn’t look like much. It’s a slab of rock, not even an acre big, packed with rusty metal […]
Read more »Water Sharing Pact: De-Ni(l)ed
July 29th, 2009
Courtesy of Terra Daily, a report on that water ministers from Nile Basin countries delayed signing a water-sharing pact already rejected by Egypt and Sudan, who oppose any reduction in their traditional quotas. As the article notes: “…Six months was allocated to solve the problem,” Ethiopian Minister of Water Resources Asfaw Dingamo told reporters at […]
Read more »Unquiet Flows The Nile…
June 24th, 2009
Via All Africa.com, a report on the latest discussions among & continuing differences between the nine countries over sharing of the Nile waters. As the article notes: Egypt refused to sign a long-negotiated water-sharing agreement at the talks held in late May. Egyptian experts say the proposed treaty failed to guarantee a fair share of […]
Read more »Lake Victoria Woes
July 4th, 2008
Via The San Francisco Chronicle, further news of the severe problems besetting Africa’s Lake Victoria and the potential political ramifications that may arise. As the article notes, receding waters have raised tensions between the lake’s three neighboring countries: “…Lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake at 26,560 square miles and the second-largest freshwater lake in […]
Read more »New Threat To Lake Victoria: Need for Improved Multiparty Lakeshore Management
February 3rd, 2008
As noted in Terra Daily, two hydroelectricity dams appear to be threatening the health of Lake Victoria – and of the people living along its shores who depend on the lake for food. A new study suggests that the dams’ systematic overuse of water has decreased the lake level by at least two meters between […]
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