UN report: 250M in Africa affected by high water scarcity
September 10, 2022, 8:25 am

UN report: 250M in Africa affected by high water scarcity

African women walking along sand road to Mapai - Pixabay

By 2030, 250 million people in Africa will be hit by a scarcity of freshwater, according to a UN report, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The State of the Climate in Africa report further said the phenomenon is expected to displace up to 700 million people on the continent by the same year.

The report released by the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said: "An estimated 58 million people in Eastern Africa are experiencing acute food insecurity, whilst another 23.7 million in Sahel and West Africa were estimated to be in a crisis or worse.”

The report further read: "Around 14 million people were internally displaced in sub-Saharan Africa for various causes and 2.5 million due to disasters, while out of five African countries are unlikely to have sustainably managed water resources by 2030.”

Africa is a young continent with almost 60 percent of its population, estimated at 1.3 billion, is under the age of 25 years and this has been projected to nearly double in size by 2050 (Photo: Pixabay)

To avert further deterioration of weather patterns on the continent, the WMO recommends the states to majorly expand early warning weather systems to protect livelihoods.

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In response to the report, Mike Mposha, Zambia's water minister, said his country is investing more in strengthening transboundary cooperation and has signed a number of agreements on early warning systems with countries with which it shares its natural waters, such as Mozambique.

Mposha said the agreements were meant to give relief and warn affected stakeholders so they can prepare for floods and other calamities.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”