|
|
|
MOSAIC: Natural resources and poor policies
Africa could face water wars AFRICAN countries could face water wars if the power of their mighty rivers isn’t properly harnessed and shared, officials from across the continent told the two-day summit titled, Africa’s Experience of International Waters held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia recently. Government ministers from 19 African nations discussed how to streamline and better utilize three main river basins — the Nile, the Zambezi, and the Senegal — that constitute the economic backbone of the countries they drain. “The utilization of these rivers has mostly been a source of contention and conflict,” said Ethiopian minister of water resources. More than two-thirds of Africa’s 60 river basins are shared by more than one country, creating potential conflict over how they should be harnessed and used. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) warned in a recent report that water wars are likely in areas where rivers are shared by more than one country. The management and development of the continent’s water is vital not only for peace but will make it more readily available for drinking, hydroelectric power, tourism, and agriculture. The shared rivers offer many opportunities for increased food production; for transport, energy, and sound environmental management; and for trade and growth. But just a mere four per cent of the continent’s fresh water is being properly utilized, said Abdirahman Beileh, a water resource expert with the African Development Bank. Beileh warned that increasing demand might spark future conflict. He also said there were enormous financial hurdles to overcome in building a continental water infrastructure system that would provide irrigation systems, joint hydroelectric production, and early warning systems for floods. Such a system would work along the Nile River whose watershed includes Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt, government ministers representing those countries said. The Nile Basin supplies water to about 300 million people. The African Bank had already pledged $33 million for the Nile Basin Initiative, a project that aims to promote the rational use of the river. David Grey, a senior water adviser with the World Bank, said that $2 billion could be invested in Nile river projects alone in the coming years, much of it from the private sector. Ministers from Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also attended the summit. — Samina Iqbal Fear of the crowd SOCIAL anxiety disorder or social phobia is defined as extreme and persistent fear of embarrassment and humiliation, states a recent issue of the British Medical Journal. People with this condition often avoid participating in social and public activities, such as public speaking, social gatherings or meetings. This can interfere with functioning or cause marked distress. Although treatable, the condition often remains undiagnosed. In feared situations, people with social phobia experience self-consciousness, embarrassment and difficulty in speaking. Blushing, sweating, trembling and palpitations are prominent. Thoughts dwell on inferiority to others, desire to flee and anticipated negative evaluation by others. The anxiety related symptoms of social anxiety disorder might take the form of a panic attack. The best established treatment for the condition are cognitive behaviour therapy and serotinin reuptake inhibitors. The therapist helps the patient to identify fears and avoidance of feared situations, to develop more productive coping thoughts and behaviours. Clinical improvement has been documented. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the best established drug treatment for social anxiety disorder. Paroxetine, sertraline and fluvoxamine have proved effective. Drug treatment should be continued for 6 to 12 months. Other drugs showing good results are monoamine oxidase inhibitors and benzodiapines. Genetic and environmental factors are known to contribute to social anxiety disorders. Overprotective yet critical parenting can be a cause for this disorder in vulnerable children. As social anxiety disorder has gained recognition as a common impairing and treatable condition, more attention is now focussed in its detection to prevent long term dysfunction. — Dr Fatema Jawad | ||
|
|
|
|
