The World Bank: Technology Does Not Belong to the Middle East

June 8 (LPAC)--The World Bank has issued a report documenting the very real crisis regarding water in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, but, as usual, has failed to identify the viable alternatives available, for overcoming the crisis. The Regional Development Report says that per capita water availability could be cut in half by 2050, with obviously serious consequences. The report was presented by Dr. Vijay Jagannathan, sector manager for water in MENA, at a seminar held the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh yesterday.

Typical of World Bank thinking, the report says water use should be reduced, and providers of water should be made "accountable" for their operations. Otherwise, cities may have to rely increasingly on "expensive" desalination. Farmers are already feeling the effects of the crisis.

"All of this will have short- and long-term effects on economic growth and poverty, will exacerbate social tensions within and between communities, and will put increasing pressure on public budgets," said Jagannathan. The report proposes decentralizing responsibility for delivering water services to financially autonomous utilities, and more environmental control, which would help governments to focus on water management more than increasing supply!

A viable solution to the water crisis in the region, must be based on the broad-scale application of desalination, powered by nuclear energy plants, throughout the region. This approach, promoted by Lyndon LaRouche over decades, as the keystone of his program for peace in the Middle East, is being taken up by various governments in the region, including the Saudis, and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, who have recently adopted the perspective of nuclear energy as a major resource, also for desalination. The World Bank was responsible at a MENA conference in Amman, Jordan, in 1995, for sabotaging efforts pursued by the Jordanian and Palestinian governments at the time, for precisely such nuclear-powered desalination installations.