Attachments
The Editorial
There is absolutely nothing more important than water; it is life and the secret of existence for living beings, nations, peoples and civilizations. It is the elixir of life and the source of human gatherings on the riverbanks and other waterfalls, or in places with rainwater or other blessings of heaven. Without water human, animal and botanical life is not imagined or nothingness.
The importance of water also stems from the fact that it represents the lifeline, and it is even impossible to live without it, being essential element for the existence and survival of humans, animals and plants. As life on earth develops and grows, so does the need and use of water across all the agricultural, animal breeding, industrial and service sectors, which help humans to stay healthy and well, including maintaining health facilities, means of transportation…,etc. Amid rapid population growth and development in the lifestyle, the need for and consumption of water also increases globally, causing more pressure on the existing water resources, which may deny equal access to safe water at a low cost. In addition, access to clean and potable water may become unaffordable in most places or inaccessible in others, especially hot regions, or countries going through war and conflict, including Yemen.
The chronic water crisis in Yemen remains a challenge for development and can only be addressed through a consolidated strategy, with water is placed on top of the state’s public policy priorities, given its importance and relative scarcity. Only such a strategy can ensure water resources be enhanced, water shortage be properly addressed and demand for it be leveraged, including through minimizing random drilling of wells, rebuilding and maintaining the water infrastructure damaged by the war and conflict, and allocating the necessary material and financial resources to keep the service going during the current conditions. In addition to doubling efforts to reduce the supply-demand gap, whether for domestic use or in farming agricultural and industrial sectors given the limited resources we have, taking into account the need to sustain water resources for future generations.
Despite the efforts that are being made by humanitarian and development partners to this end, yet the challenges and risks associated with water stress, as well as the impact of war and conflict on the Yemeni water sector, have exacerbated the water crisis including at the social and economic spheres. The most vulnerable groups in particular and the entire Yemeni society were affected at all levels, making it a major driver of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country.
Therefore, this issue of the YSEU bulletin highlights Yemen’s water crisis and its implications across all aspects, in order to come up with a set of urgent and priority interventions required, as well as medium and long term policies and programs to address this crisis and limit its impacts