WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR: SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER THE UNITY

Translated By: Fuad Rajeh

SANA'A, May 20 (Saba) – The water and environment sector has witnessed since the unity in 1990 giant achievements that helped improve the mechanisms for its operations and shift it to a vital sector given a priority by the government and the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Most of the programs in this sector were focused on supplying drinking water for the people in Yemeni rural and urban areas, despite obstacles facing improving this service including scarcity of water resources and population dispersion.

Environmentally, the programs were focused on fighting the environmental deterioration represented by the major consumption of natural basic resources as well as preserving the biodiversity, maritime environment and natural sanctuaries.

According to a report by the ministry that Saba obtained a copy of it, the total of beneficiaries from water in the main and secondary cities reached 3.9 million in 2009 compared with almost 800000 in 1990. With the total, the service covers now 58 per cent of the rural populace.

The water networks reached 550000 in the same year with an increase of 439000 from 1990, the report said.

On the sanitation field, the total of beneficiaries in the main and secondary cities reached about 2.2 million last year with an increase of 1.9 million souls from 1990.

With the number, the service now covers nearly 34 per cent of the urban people. The sanitation networks were estimated at 308000 last year with an increase of 270000 networks from the pre-unity period.


According to some statistics the number of programs and projects implemented and being implemented in rural areas that have been improving water and sanitation services as well as protecting the environment, both those financed by the government and donors, was estimated at 248 projects at a cost of YR 170 billion.

Regarding water quantities produced, they reached in 2009 nearly 156.6 million cubic meters including 108.5 million cubic meters as consumed water with a loss-run rate of 31 per cent; while the average of per capita water use was 72 liters a day.

Regarding the other part of water and sanitation services in rural areas implemented by the Public Corporation for Rural Water Projects, the report noted that the government did not neglect these areas, saying the number of beneficiaries from water services in them reached 7.2 million in 1990 compared with 2.4 million people before the unity.

Statistics issued by the ministry noted that the total of the implemented drinking water projects in the Yemeni rural areas reached 3040 projects including 993 ones implemented before the unity. The projects cost YR 64.8 billion.

The coverage of the service was by the end of 2009 at 44.2 per cent of the people in the areas compared with the rate of 14.7 per cent before the unity.

Legally and institutionally, the report said that the ministry since its establishment in 2003, has prepared in association with donors the national water strategy 2005-2009.

The strategy was approved by the government and was also approved to be evaluated periodically. The government also agreed to review, amend and approve the water law as well as preparing the executive bylaw of the law to be submitted to the Cabinet.

Moreover, the Cabinet will approve organizational structures and bylaws of the ministry and its affiliates.

The ministry also worked on continuing the decentralization program through establishing more local facilities that reached 15 authorities in governorates as well as preparing special policies and strategies for rural water.

On preserving drinking water resources, Yemen is suffering from water scarcity that renews due the low rate of rainfall. The country has 2.5 billion cubic meters of water; out of which 1.5 billion cubic meters as groundwater quantities. The annual consumption of water is 3.4 billion cubic meters; hence, the deficit is one billion cubic meters compared with 0.4 billion cubic meters from 1990.

Under this situation, the ministry has taken several measures amid fears of dwindling water resources in the country. Water basin committees were formed to limit the shocking consumption of water resources.

Also, control systems and stations were installed at many drillers run by the private sector as well as granting licenses for drilling wells and managing and organizing the record of water rights. In addition to this, field studies over the issue were conducted in a number of governorates.

The report also noted that the ministry worked on establishing database that helped saving data and strategic planning as well as making suitable decisions over water resources and consumption.

Within the drive, the ministry installed in 2004 the Performance Indicator System and connected it to 26 affiliates of the ministry and water facilities with the aim to assess their annual performance.

Moreover, the ministry inserted the Geographic Data System GIS and Remote Sensing Systems at a number of its facilities to facilitate obtaining information and make right decisions over related issues.

Other systems including the environmental operation data system and the automatic documentation system and auditing and bill systems were installed as well.

Regarding the efforts to protect the environment and biodiversity, the report said many steps were taken including the establishment of the environment protection council and connecting it to sustainable development and the Cabinet Presidency. The council was also restructured as a supervisory and coordinating system for setting out policies and plans as well as following up environmental changes.

The government also put constitutional amendments to the article 35 on the community responsible for protecting the environment as a priority. Also, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment was established in 2001 and then the Water and Irrigation Ministry in 2003 and the Public Corporation for Environment Protection in 2005.

On the efforts aimed at resolving the environmental issues, the report noted that Yemen joined and ratified more than 14 accords including those on climate change.

Yemen also worked to establish natural sanctuaries in cooperation with international organizations, the report concluded.