Water stress in Africa to hit 64 per cent by 2025

Water stress in Africa will hit 64 per cent if nothing is done about the current water situation on the continent, Morocco’s Minister in charge of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment, Dr Charafat Afailal, has stated.

She made the prediction during an International Conference on Water and Climate (ICWC) in Rabat, Morocco, when she jointly launched an initiative dubbed: “Water for Africa” with the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP) 22nd Climate Change Conference Ambassador for Multilateral Negotiations, Mr Aziz Mekouar.

Stating that 300 million Africans are suffering from water scarcity, Dr Afailal said: “Forty per cent of the African population lives under water stress and the figure will increase to 64 per cent by 2025 if nothing is done.”

The “Water for Africa” initiative is a call that highlights the need for and commitment from the African community to mobilise around the pressing and alarming water issues on the continent and their link to climate change.

The collective call made by more than 20 foreign ministers including 18 from Africa and representatives from the World Bank and other multilateral institutions seeks to ensure a stronger integration of water in the climate and sustainable development agendas ahead of the COP22 UN Climate Change Conference in November in Marrakech.