Arab water share reaches poverty line
Regional, Environment, 1/4/2000

An Egyptian expert in the area of energy technology and water desalination has warned against the decrease in the Arab share of waters to much lower than the water poverty line set by the UN at 1,000 cubic meters annually.

The expert, Dr. Hassan Saad, who is the founder of the water-desalination center in Egypt said that the Arab states are among areas which are poor in natural fresh water resources and that although the Arab region occupies 10% of the world's total area, it has only 0.5% of its natural water resources. He added that the share of each individual of water in the Arab region is less than 500 cubic meters per year, an average which is less that the rate set by the UN of 1,000 cubic meters annually.

Dr. Saad added that there are Arab states including the Arab Gulf states and North Africa where fresh water resources are rare, saying that most water resources in other Arab states spring from the neighboring countries, and therefore, "Most of the Arab states need an increase in the quantity of desalted waters so as to cope with the population growth and social and economic developments."

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