Yemen as a country faces many problems; nonetheless, the biggest challenge or problem for Yemen is the water scarcity resulting from the dry climate and over-exploitation of natural resources by man (Ward 14). There have been fruitless attempts to resolve the problem of water scarcity through illegal drilling of novel wells to access groundwater (Ward 20). The water share per head in Yemen is below 100 cubic meters annually, against the 1000 cubic meters poverty line of water (Brown 5). The globe average is 2500 cubic meters of water per capita per year (Brown 9).
The water shortage is experienced in most sections of the ME (Middle East), though lawlessness and poverty make the crisis more challenging to resolve within Yemen in comparison to other regions. In contrast to wealthier neighboring nations, Yemen is incapable of building desalination plants. Moreover, civil unrest and ethnic flare-ups make it risky for hydrologists and engineers to access most regions of the nation (Ward 17). Even purification of water is difficult within Yemen. Available facilities are ill-managed, and a section of priests have pronounced the wastewater reuse a violation of infringement of Islamic principles (Brown 6).
Water sources are drying up, besides; the prices of purchasing water have increased four times in a span of five years (Charles 15). The government of Yemen is attempting to bar citizens from drilling novel wells to the fast receding or diminishing underground aquifers, though has insignificant powers, particularly far regions from the capital. The main components easily observable are the vicious circle with scarcity of water as well as rising violence (Ward 19).
The problem of water scarcity within Yemen can be resolved or minimized through securing the nation's stability. Yemen's stability depends on tackling other systematic crises facing the nation, for example, unemployment, depletion of natural resources, and corruption. Securing the stability by promoting conditions for all citizens of Yemen will result in security for the nation and the entire international community.
Works Cited
Brown, L. R.. Outgrowing the earth: The food security challenge in an age of falling water tables and rising temperatures. London: Earthscan. 2005. Print.
Charles, Steven. Yemen. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. 2013. Print.
Ward, Christopher. The Water Crisis in Yemen: Managing Extreme Water Scarcity in the Middle East. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. 2014. Print.
