Agenzia Fides

Lodi (Agenzia Fides) - In 2013, water remains a priority sector for international cooperation. The water supply in the southern countries of the world is still an emergency. According to a report prepared by UN Water, the United Nations body responsible for the research and cooperation in the field of water, more than 700 million people in about 43 countries are affected by water shortages and nearly 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation. 66% of the African continent is arid or semi-arid and more than 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live in an environment with little access to water with disastrous consequences for public health, productive activities and the whole economy of the country. To emphasize the emergency, on March 22 World Water Day is celebrated. Among the various initiatives made known by the Movement Fight World Hunger (MFWH), in 25 years of work in the southern hemisphere, the humanitarian organization has provided "blue gold" to 280 000 people, dug 30 wells, 860 fountains, and laid 465 km of pipes. According to the head of the MFWH in Rwanda, in the African country there are still too many children that collect water from the marshes and then take it to the village and distribute it for cooking and drinking from this unhealthy source, which contributes to the cause of deadly diseases such as malaria and dysentery. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 22/03/2013)