Gulf | Yemen
Yemen's rapid population growth threatens already scarce water supplies
Country should be helped to overcome issue otherwise development will be affected - expert
- By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
- Published: 00:48 March 13, 2008
Sana'a: Water scarcity and a rapidly growing population are among the biggest difficulties facing Yemen's development, says an development expert.
"Yemen should be helped to overcome such difficulties," said Wolfgang Schmitt, the managing director of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), who left Sana'a on Tuesday after three day-visit to Yemen.
"Water scarcity is a matter of fact in this country, and the population is growing faster, even compared to the neighbouring countries in the Arabian Peninsula or in the Middle East. The natural supply of water is much lower, so there is a need to help this country in this area," Schmitt told Gulf News in an interview.
The German official, who came to evaluate the GTZ development projects in Yemen, warned that the situation might get even worse if solutions were not found quickly.
"If the government cannot find a way to manage the water resources the the situation could become even worse than now," he said.
About 40 per cent of homes in Yemen's cities are not linked to water mains to due to water scarcity, and two thirds lack proper sanitation. The wells from which residents take water are risk drying up, according to expert reports. The 22 million population increases by more 3 per cent every year.
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