Dr. Hussein A. Amery Water is at the core of every living thing and is often a blessing – yet its absence, excess availability or contamination, can be calamitous. So much so that a UN Human Development Report states that “Across much of the developing world unclean water is an immeasurably greater threat to human security than violent conflict”. Hence the current global water crisis is mostly a (mis)management crisis. Having an adequate water infrastructure is an important step toward water development and management. The UAE Suqia Water Aid initiative that was initiated by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE, will provide needy countries with water pumps, water purification systems, and will help them dig water wells. These technologies cover water quantity and quality, and would undoubtedly provide welcome relief to Arabs and non-Arabs who don't have access to clean water supplies. An arid region More than 85 percent of the Arab region is classified as arid and hyper arid where it receives an average annual rainfall of less than 250 millimeters/year (mm/y). Furthermore, precipitation across the Arab world varies greatly. The average annual precipitation in Egypt and the Gulf countries is around 18 mm/y, but in Lebanon it is 827 mm/year. About 60 percent of Arab countries fall under the “absolute scarcity” threshold of 500 cubic meters of renewable water per capita per year; this level drops 7, 19, 31, 85, 88 cubic meters per capita for Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, respectively. Desalination technologies and other technological interventions allowed the Gulf states to overcome their severe physical water scarcity. Population growth in the Arab world is rather high especially in poorer countries such as Yemen and Sudan, and in wealthier ones such as those in the Gulf states where the massive influx of foreign workers drive most of that growth. Around 60 percent of the water in Arab countries originates beyond their border in non-Arab lands. What meager amounts of water exist in the Arab region are often mismanaged which aggravates the prevailing scarcity. Despite this, the region's hydro-climatic challenges are not unique. Although a lot of the world's population has gained access to water and sanitation in recent decades, the number of people who depend on unimproved sources of drinking water has reached 748 million. Meaning, all these people get their freshwater from lakes, rivers, dams, or unprotected dug wells or springs to drink, cook, and to use for personal hygiene. Tragically, three children die every minute from preventable, water-related diseases. Safe freshwater An average person needs 20-50 liters of safe freshwater per day for drinking, cooking and cleaning. While a mere 2-4 liters per person are needed for drinking purposes, some 2,700 liters of water are required to produce food for one person. Given that it is recommended that each person should consume 2,700 calories a day, and that one calorie of food requires one liter of water to produce, it becomes evident that huge amounts of water are required to feed the world's population. The Suqia Initiative will make a contribution toward this challenge. It will provide freshwater to five million people around the world. Given the desperate need for water, this foreign aid initiative will lift people's quality of life and is likely save lives. The act of abstaining from worldly pleasures such as food and water during daylight hours unites all Muslims, humbles their souls, and makes them more spiritual as they bear the hardship of fasting. Unveiling the Suqia Initiative in time to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan is strategic as it capitalizes on the extra generous disposition Muslims have during this fasting month. Although the initiative is only a few days old, it has been reported that a lot of people, as well as Emirati, Gulf, and multi-national corporations have donated substantial sums of money toward this water charity. While these initiatives are a marked step forward, charity is still heavily relied upon. The name, Suqia, and the timing of this initiative invoke Islamic principles and frames the charitable effort in a cultural context that would resonate with anyone who has a humanitarian bent. Making this initiative a mainstream cause can help sensitize wealthier Arabs and Muslims to the needs of the less fortunate. — Al Arabiya News
