Water at the Roots of Twenty First Centurys Conflicts

According to a postulate made by Ignacio Ramonet ecological resources are deemed to constitute the main cause of this new century. Water as a source of scourge concerns: oceans and seas on the one hand (that's over 71 of the globe surface) and access to potable water (underground reserve and rivers) on the other hand. Over the years, water has gradually become a stake at many levels

Water: an economic stake

Water without any single doubt constitutes a consumption goods and surely the most consumed due to its various uses: drinking, irrigation, cleaning, provision of energy?) Water also constitutes a reserve of other resources such as fish, and other aquatic animals, a number of minerals among which oil and its derived products. The sensitive character of water and its scarcity have made water to become as other scarce values or resources a potential and often effective source of profits for individuals, organisations, and industries?

Water as a political or strategic resource

In the domain of politics and strategy, water more than any other geographic element and relief elements (mountains, gaps, climates?) could become a decisive tool in a given circumstance. By controlling access to certain passages and thereof to certain goods a protagonist through the possession of channels, springs, lakes?can hurt an opponent. A historical perspective reminds us of waters and water having been decisive in the course of conflicts. During World War II under sea war made a noticeable progress with enormous advantages given to the allied forces. During Cold War sea and its bottoms contributed to the race to sophisticated weapons as the super powers used them to test and move safely new weapons. The American hegemony and strengthened capacity to move a conflict and win in another country has a lot to do with their mastering of an important surface of oceans and the capacity to move a huge number of weapons through planes-carrier. The effective imposition of an embargo and the possibility to render such a measure effective also owes a tool to water namely control of channels, harbours and seaports.

Tensions and cooperation over the issue of sharing of water concerns a number of scales: territorial (basin authority, state and municipalities) temporal (present and future generations) new actors have also gained right to participate to such talks: the private sector, individuals and non governmental organisations.)

According to United Nations, more than 20?/? of the World population lacks water, such a figure could reach 30?/? by the year 2025 and by then 50 countries would be concerned. The scarcity of water is owing to many factors: waste, pollution and over exploitation of underground reserves. As concerns pollution, the Amazon and Congo rivers are considered as the remaining safe rivers while Ganges and Euphrates are their perfect opposites. The increasing industrialisation of emerging countries constitutes a multiplying factor of pollution. Temptations to produce at reduced costs have often led to less concern for pollution of soils and rivers.

O.Diallo states that, certain actors could artificially maintain tensions over water resources, since certain rivers flowing in a given region may have other uses such as the drawing of boundaries among sovereign states. In this sense he added that certain factors expose developing more to conflicts and tensions due to the sharing of water. These are: "the absence of conventions and rules governing certain rivers, the non existence or the weak implementation of texts and rules regulating the management of water among states, sector management policies not taking into account the whole of actors and the absence of technical knowledge on rivers"

The ^problem of access to potable water amplifies every day: the World population has tripled in a century while the global consumption of water was multiplied by 6. Lakes, springs and underground reserves of water are more and more polluted. In these conditions water has normally become a political tool. Nile, Egypt is tributary is equally shared by 10 other countries among which the poorest and most dry of world. But Egypt denies Ethiopia the right to perform necessary works to also get advantage of Nile for irrigation, provision of energy?This, while Egypt has build a dam at Aswan that causes harms to other countries as the level, course and bottoms of Nile are not spared. Since the 6 Days War, 67?/? OF Israeli provision of water is from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jordan affluent. Though a Peace Treaty passed with King Hussein of Jordan in 1994 solved the problem for that kingdom, the issue remains entire as concerns Syria and Lebanon. In January 2000, talks between Israel and Lebanon rendered obvious the stake an Israeli retreat from Golan Heights could represent. If such a thing had happened Syria would have been empowered with the control of the level of waters in the Tiberiades Lake. Another risky situation is that of Lake Chad and neighbouring countries. The dryness of the lake could eventually lead to border disputes and other disputes owing to access to water and other related resources such as fish.

WAY OUT TO THIS SITUATION

I. UNITED NATIONS AT WORK

The issue of water has constituted a cornerstone of the activity of United Nations. Since the organisation aims at preventing and solving conflicts.

United Nations organised a series of for a and conferences on water

* The United Nations Conference on Water (1977)

* The International Conference on Environment and Water (1992) The International Decade of Potable Water and Sanitation (1981-1990) The activities of United Nations system are geared at the exploitation of the fragile resources rendered scarce by pollution, demographic growth, and the growing needs of the new industries.

In 1958, 4 conventions of UN were signed by 40 states. This conventions concerned access to international waters, territorial or national part of seas, biological resources and continental heights. The emergence of newly independent countries a few years later led UN to reform the 1958 Convention so as to give a share to other countries on account of the sovereign equality of states. The Montego Bay signed by 119 states on 10th December 182 consecrated this new order. A new order United States and United Kingdom never accepted.

II. REGIONAL ATTEMPTS

Solutions are also arising at the regional level to prevent and face the water crisis. In October 2002, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos acting in the capacity of president of South African Development Community (SADC), recalled the necessity of an enhanced policy concerning water resources through the implementation of a "regional strategic plan of action for an integrated management of water resources". This is among SAD regional initiative for the management of waters (SADC Water Protocol) that entered into force in 1998.

The neighbouring countries to major rivers have constituted into basin authorities (Mano River, Niger, Congo, Lake Chad?)

Though considered among the wet regions on Earth, central Africa is not spared by the problems of water. An International Conference held in Yaounde in 2003, attended by countries members of the Lake Chad Basin Authority (CBLT). A meeting that quickly turned into a crisis meeting to solve the reduction of water in the lake. Unfortunately, an initiative to transfer water from Oubangui could not come out. It should be noted that in less than 30 years Lake Chad passed from 300 square meters to a mere 25 square meters.

The Niger Basin Authority also held an important meeting in Paris the 26th and 2 7th of April 2004. The meeting came out with a declaration called the Paris Declaration. Principles for " a sustainable and shared development of the basin" were adopted.

Coordinated efforts seems to be the sole solution for a population of World called to turn the concept of sustainable development into practice

WATER AT THE ROOTS OF CRISES OF TWENTY FIRST CENTURY
By Bagneki Hugues Olivier

Bagneki Hugues Olivie is a graduate of political science and public adminitration from the university of Buea in Cameroon - currently following a master's programme. Bagneki is interested and dedicated to economic, social, and international politics issues.

house refresh service Morton Grove ..
In The News:

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.
Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.
A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.
Emojis aren't just playful add-ons; they're powerful tools for building stronger connections in our increasingly digital world.
Google has taken a major step toward the future of clean energy by partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out working to build one of the world’s first commercial fusion reactors.
If you create and share art online, you might have seen messages warning that Facebook's parent company, Meta, claims the right to use or even sell anything you post, whether it's pictures, poems, or artwork.
Cybercriminals hit Qantas in a major data breach that exposed information from up to six million customers.
Having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device is important because when severe weather strikes, every second counts.
Here's how your daily brew is becoming the foundation for greener buildings.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, are transforming how we learn. But what does this mean for AI and learning retention?
Modern AI data centers use much more electricity than traditional cloud servers. In many cases, the existing power grid cannot keep up. One innovative solution is gaining traction: repurposed EV batteries for AI data centers.
Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a tactic that injects fake billing alerts directly into their calendars.
Researchers are now showing us that old smartphones as data centers could be the next big thing in sustainable tech.
Scientists have created micro-robots for sinus infection treatment that can enter the nasal cavity, eliminate bacteria directly at the source, and exit without harming surrounding tissue.
Let's examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. developed small robots called "Pipebots" that can travel inside water pipes to find and potentially repair leaks, all without any excavation.
A groundbreaking new study has uncovered disturbing AI blackmail behavior that many people are unaware of yet.
Four teams of autonomous humanoid robots competed in China's first AI soccer tournament, demonstrating advanced capabilities in ball detection and independent decision-making.
The ID. Buzz autonomous van features self-driving technology with 13 cameras, nine LiDAR units and five radars after Volkswagen partnered with Hamburg and Uber for 2026 deployments.
Social Security phishing scams use urgency and impersonation to steal personal data. Learn how to spot fake SSA emails and implement 10 protective measures.
French startup Pazzi Robotics created an AI-powered pizza robot that made pies in under five minutes without human help, but it closed in 2022 despite patents and expert partnerships.
Reclaim your time from big tech with effective screen time reduction strategies for iPhone and Android, featuring steps to limit app usage and create phone-free zones.
Amazon Prime Day shoppers face threats from 120,000-plus scam websites as cybercriminals prepare phishing traps and malware ahead of the July sales event.
Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.
The AEON humanoid robot tackles labor challenges with Nvidia AI, Microsoft Azure cloud and advanced spatial awareness, working alongside industry leaders Schaeffler and Pilatus.

The Will To Fight for Islam

The more I study the dynamics of WWII the more... Read More

Free Trade, Outsourcing, Protectionism and Reality Check

Recently on C-SPAN, there were two gentlemen debating free trade... Read More

Kudos For Monsanto Company

I applaud Monsanto for their R and D. I would... Read More

California Mutual Assistance Program

In years past California Mutual Assistance Program and emergency response... Read More

Is This All There Is?

In today's Rants from Lance session I address the question... Read More

Toll Ways Hurt The Flow of Transportation

The United States has never done a full study on... Read More

How Futuristic Is Anarchy As A Way To Organize The State (I)

When organising a country or a group of people in... Read More

The FIRST FAMILY of the United States

The Randolphs:Peyton Randolph was the first President of the United... Read More

Should Judgeships Be a Political Event?

Thought of the day; Questions about the judicial system. If... Read More

Fuel Prices at the Pump: That is not the problem, Natural Gas Prices are high too

The price at the gas pump is certainly on everyone's... Read More

Cindy Sheehan ? President Bush and the Accountability Moment

Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More

Democracy, War and the Media - Uneasy Bedfellows All Round

Recent international wars and the often spectacular ways in which... Read More

Is it just hubris, or ...?

In what the Americans love to describe as the war... Read More

Dole, Kemp, Trusting People

Many in the peanut gallery of society are so quick... Read More

Pierre Dupont de Nemours

After arranging the Armistice that ended or settled outstanding issues... Read More

What could Macedonia Learn from a Tiger? Asian Tigers and Uninterrupted Economic Growth

The first reaction of economies in transition is a sharp... Read More

Fight Terror, With Education

A War on Terrorism? Conventional war being brought on an... Read More

Poverty in America: Over 35 Million Living Below the Poverty Line

The problem of poverty in America comes as a surprise.... Read More

Mental Masturbation of FTC Franchise Rule Report

Please read through this quick thought and discussion as if... Read More

Whats Right About Nebraska: How the Democrats Lost the Heart of American Populism

(Note: This article was written slightly before the 2004 election;... Read More

Workaholism, Leisure and Pleasure

The official working week is being reduced to 35 hours... Read More

The Self-Appointed Altruists

Their arrival portends rising local prices and a culture shock.... Read More

Electronic Commerce Taxation: Emerging Legal Issues - Part I

The CBR taxes the Pakistani source income of nonresident individuals... Read More

5 Years in Prison for Satirical Flash Films About the President of Belarus

They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More

All Extremists Go To Heaven... Dont They

Heaven, Hell, or some sort of Purgatory.I cannot seem to... Read More

cleaning service near Mundelein ..