Museveni urges sustainability of clean water

  1. Posted on Wednesday 17 March 2010 - 11:15
    mugira
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    Mugira, AfricaNews reporter in Kampala, Uganda
    Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has called on experts to not only discuss clean water and sanitation but also to include its sustainability and availability on the continent. "Don't confine yourselves to safe water and sanitation. The bigger problem is: do you have sustainably enough water to clean?" he asked.
    Women fetching dirty water
    The President was opening the 15th International African Water and Sanitation Congress and Exhibition currently taking place at the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo. The 3-day congress that is running under the theme “Water and Sanitation; Perspective and Challenges Relating to Energy and Climate Change” has drawn over 1,300 participants from 64 countries worldwide.

    Museveni further urged participants to explore the possibility of harnessing ocean water for both human and animal consumption.

    ‘You should think of desalination of ocean water for both human and animal consumption. The technology might be expensive but it is worth exploring that possibility in order to have enough water,” he said.

    He advised the congress to look into the energy aspect saying water bodies in Africa have a potential of 300,000 megawatts of hydro electricity.

    Museveni also expressed the need to conserve wetlands saying that they contribute to the rain in most parts of the Great Lakes’ Region.

    “Swamps in Uganda and the neighbouring countries contribute significantly to the rain in this area. If you interfere with the wetlands, there will be little rain,” he cautioned.

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