AGL 38.30 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.21%)
AIRLINK 133.25 Increased By ▲ 4.28 (3.32%)
BOP 8.85 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (12.74%)
CNERGY 4.68 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.43%)
DCL 8.64 Increased By ▲ 0.32 (3.85%)
DFML 39.70 Increased By ▲ 0.76 (1.95%)
DGKC 85.38 Increased By ▲ 3.44 (4.2%)
FCCL 34.84 Increased By ▲ 1.42 (4.25%)
FFBL 75.55 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-0.21%)
FFL 12.84 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.16%)
HUBC 109.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.56 (-0.51%)
HUMNL 14.14 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (0.93%)
KEL 5.40 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (4.85%)
KOSM 7.76 Increased By ▲ 0.09 (1.17%)
MLCF 41.20 Increased By ▲ 1.40 (3.52%)
NBP 70.05 Decreased By ▼ -2.27 (-3.14%)
OGDC 194.25 Increased By ▲ 5.96 (3.17%)
PAEL 26.20 Increased By ▲ 0.57 (2.22%)
PIBTL 7.39 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.27%)
PPL 163.85 Increased By ▲ 11.18 (7.32%)
PRL 26.39 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (3.94%)
PTC 19.47 Increased By ▲ 1.77 (10%)
SEARL 84.60 Increased By ▲ 2.18 (2.64%)
TELE 8.00 Increased By ▲ 0.41 (5.4%)
TOMCL 34.00 Increased By ▲ 1.43 (4.39%)
TPLP 8.73 Increased By ▲ 0.31 (3.68%)
TREET 17.15 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (2.21%)
TRG 60.70 Increased By ▲ 4.66 (8.32%)
UNITY 29.00 Increased By ▲ 0.22 (0.76%)
WTL 1.36 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.74%)
BR100 10,786 Increased By 127.6 (1.2%)
BR30 32,266 Increased By 934.6 (2.98%)
KSE100 100,083 Increased By 813.5 (0.82%)
KSE30 31,193 Increased By 160.9 (0.52%)

Political stability and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa could hinge on better management of scarce water resources, the World Bank said in a report released Tuesday. With poor access to water and poor sanitation, the region is suffering annual economic losses of as much as $21 billion, according to the report, published to coincide with the global "Water Week" events which opened Monday in Stockholm focusing on innovative solutions for these issues.
The estimate reflects costs from health care and lost productivity due to illness and premature death from water-borne disease, Anders Jagerskog, a World Bank specialist in water-related matters, told AFP. Hafez Ghanem, World Bank vice president for the Middle East and North Africa, said the region was living beyond its means in terms of water.
"If we think of water resources as a bank account, then the region is now seriously overdrawn," he said in a statement, adding that consuming water faster than it could be replenished undermined the region's long-term wealth and resilience. Water scarcity also can spark conflicts, the report's authors warned.

Comments

Comments are closed.