3 reasons why immediate action on water scarcity is imperative for fragile and conflict-affected states

Today, two billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water and?around half of the world’s population will experience severe water scarcity this year.

As we mark #WorldWaterDay , the message from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is clear: the situation is getting worse.

The threat of water scarcity is becoming increasingly prominent and the capacity of fragile states to ensure water security is being tested.

In Yemen, about 18 million people lack access to safe water and sanitation and all groundwater sources could be exhausted in less than 20 years if action is not taken (UNDP and FAO, 2020). This would lead to a catastrophic shortfall for communities across the country and drive instability across the region.

Clean water is crucial for nutrition and general well-being. When communities do not have access to clean water, they do not have an equal chance to be healthy. Without this opportunity, communities cannot unlock their potential to develop and thrive.

This year’s World Water Day marks the midpoint of the UN’s Water Action Decade , which aims to mobilise action that will help transform how the world manages water. And yet the number of countries and people that are losing access to this vital resource is growing, rather than shrinking.

While action on water is essential for the future of agriculture, nutrition and industry across the world, it is particularly important in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS), like Yemen, for three reasons:

Addressing immediate needs

Many FCS are facing widespread water scarcity already. After the worst drought in 40 years , countries in the Horn of Africa have witnessed an 88% increase in household water insecurity. Climate induced emergencies such as droughts, floods and storms are exacerbating existing emergencies across the world. Those most in need should be prioritised.

Achieving long-term solutions: limiting the knock-on effects of water scarcity

Naturally water-scarce regions will be hard-pressed to replenish already depleted water resources in the immediate future, as domestic demands are likely to remain high. The impact of agriculture on Yemen’s water resources is mitigated by the fact that the country imports around 90% of its food, and with it the equivalent of nearly twice the country’s total renewable water resources in “virtual water.” Despite this offset, Yemen will still need to address the impacts of water scarcity on its long-term food security, conserving its existing reserves by diversifying water sources, increasing the efficiency of water treatment and reducing wastewater.

Using the power of partnership to finance sustainable development

Water funding needs continue to rise, with water supply and sanitation alone expected to require US $6.7 trillion of investment by 2050. New research from the Center for Global Development has shown that relying solely on development finance institutions to fund and deliver complex water projects in fragile settings is optimistic. Indeed, the top 10 most climate vulnerable countries received only 5% of climate adaptation financing from two of the largest financial intermediary funds (FIFs).

Instead, private sector organisations should seek to partner with like-minded organisations including development finance institutions and humanitarian agencies to address pressing issues, such as water scarcity. The International Committee of the Red Cross has shown that using concessional finance to unite public and private partners can deliver significant results for water infrastructure in fragile contexts, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, with its Goma West Resilient Water Project .?

For the private sector, such action on water scarcity in the most vulnerable countries might include:

• Using local partners’ connection to communities as a source of knowledge to identify immediate needs and priority action areas, such as rural populations.
• Continue to scale up investment in R&D to explore ways to reduce water usage and waste, in partnership with other private sector organisations, entrepreneurs and innovators.
• Ensuring that wastewater from industry is treated in accordance with international standards to protect existing water reserves and reduce long-term effects on soil that can reduce fertility, such as salinisation.
• Engaging with international partners and financial institutions to attract investment in resilient water infrastructure and upskilling, such as solar-powered water pumps, and management of watersheds and wastewater treatment.
• Focusing investment in water infrastructure on systems designed for renewable resources (e.g. rainwater harvesting). As climate events tend to the extreme, these renewable sources will become increasingly important for water stressed states.

For our part, HSA Group has funded and managed over 800 water infrastructure rehabilitation projects across Yemen, built the country’s first large-scale desalination plant and launched an emergency water trucking project that has delivered 1.8 billion litres of water to vulnerable communities since 2016.

If we are to address this challenge and deliver on the UN’s decade of water action, we will need to find ways to drive collaboration between the public, private and third sectors, in the pursuit of sustainable, climate-ready and most importantly long-term solutions to water scarcity across the world. Every time we fail to find solutions to such universal challenges, the most vulnerable in our societies are hit the hardest.

By taking immediate action, we can hope to alleviate other, connected drivers of fragility, particularly food insecurity, and chart a path to a more sustainable and peaceful future.