Somalia Suffers from Severe Drought

Water and Food Security: Somalia Famine Grows, Drought Could Ease

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Meteorologists are hopeful for future rainfall, though they say the current disaster was preventable. The lack of rain, which is also affecting neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, and political instability have tipped Somalia into a food crisis that could persist, even as drought conditions abate.

Peter Gleick: Water as a Weapon — Qaddafi’s Last Desperate Gamble

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There is a long history of conflicts over water. The first known water war was nearly 5,000 years ago: a conflict over irrigation ditches between the cities of Umma and Lagash in ancient Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq.
Libya aftermath - lack of clean water

Water as a Tool of War: Qaddafi Loyalists Turn Off Tap for Half of Libya

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Muammar Qaddafi’s great achievement of tapping desert aquifers and sending the water hundreds of kilometers to Tripoli, the capital, and other coastal cities is now the focal point for sabotage and siege. Aid agencies have begun humanitarian relief as rebel leaders try to gain control of water-producing regions.

From Coal Seam to Fracking, Unconventional Gas Industry Faces Opposition in Australia and South Africa

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As an energy boom, propelled by natural gas, continues to gather steam, mining and drilling companies square off with landowners around the globe over who has the right to resources that are located deep below ground.
UNESCO

United Nations Urges Ethiopia to Suspend Gibe III Dam Construction

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In June, a committee concluded that the construction of the dam endangered the existence of Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

United Nations Stalemates on Climate Change and Security

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Climate change became a hot-button issue at a recent U.N. Security…
The Horn of Africa

Worsening Humanitarian Crisis: Unprecedented Drought and Famine in Horn of Africa

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The drought has gripped large regions of eastern Africa, leaving an estimated 11 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and is likely to continue for much of the year, according to the United Nations.

James Workman: Mandela’s Global Water Ambassador Dies — A Reflection on South African Human Rights Lawyer, Kader Asmal

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When Nelson Mandela named South Africa’s first democratic Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry – a futile effort to keep his outspoken, irascible, chain-smoking friend out of trouble – Kader Asmal claimed ignorance about the rudimentary basics of his new portfolio.
Lake Turkana - Water Conflict

Water Conflict: Violence Erupts Along Ethiopia-Kenya Water-stressed Border

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Severe droughts have added stress to an ongoing dispute between two neighboring ethnic groups near Lake Turkana — the border between the two nations — which has culminated in a series of violent attacks.

Ned Breslin: Lasting Coverage — Retooling the WASH Model’s “Beneficiary” Indicators (Part II)

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So if “beneficiaries” are a terrible indicator of success in the international water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector, then what should take their place?
Going the Distance for Water

Infographic: Going the Distance, From Ashgabat to Whyalla—10 Cities Pumping Water From Afar

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In many cities, water travels far to reach the tap. Residents of the planet's driest places rely on extensive waterways to deliver their supply. Click through the interactive infographic below to learn more about 10 cities that pipe water in from distant aquifers, plus additional plans to expand waterway networks even further.

Do It and Prove It—Information Technology Opens Up the Water Sector

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Organizations are creating tech tools to shine light on water supply operations—and improve service.