The ten countries with the least secure supplies of water are Somalia, Mauritania, Sudan, Niger, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkmenistan and Syria, according a review of 165 nations. This was revealed in the 2010Water Security Risk Index, published by Maplecroft, a firm specialising in corporate risk intelligence for multinationals.
The Water Security Risk Index is based on four key areas surrounding the issue. These include: access to improved drinking water and sanitation; the availability of renewable water and the reliance on external supplies; the relationship between available water and supply demands; and the water dependency of each country’s economy.
Maplecroft’s research finds that countries in the extreme risk category, including the emerging economies of Pakistan, Egypt and Uzbekistan, are already experiencing internal and cross-border tensions due to limited water resources. Furthermore, as the global climate changes, water stress is predicted to become more acute in these regions and has the potential to threaten stability.
In Africa there are 15 countries in the high and extreme risk categories.
Source: Maplecroft, 24 Jun 2010
