Fresh Water Stops Violence

Improving the water supply in Niger’s western border region is a perilous task. Militants have been active in the area for years and violence is common along the frontier with Mali and Burkina Faso. Site visits by water experts are limited and must be made under the protection of the army.

That makes improving Niger’s water supply difficult. The availability of clean drinking water in the country is low by global standards, with large disparities between urban and rural areas. Niger ranks near the bottom in the United Nations Human Development Index. Many areas are threatened by drought and desertification. In the Tillabéri region near the western border, 92% of the population live in rural areas and suffer from chronic shortages of clean water, especially during the hot season when temperatures often rise above 40 degrees Celsius.

The European Investment Bank is working with the Niger water authority to find solutions for these problems, backed by a donor fund supported by the Dutch government. Access to basic water services can help stabilise the political and security situation in Niger. Bottom line: it can reduce violence by improving economic and social development.

Read the article: https://www.eib.org/en/stories/niger-water-development?utm_source=mailj…