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Status of water resources development and management in Yemen

ABDULLA NOMAN

WEC, PO Box 14469, Sana’a University, Yemen Republic

abnoman@hotmail.com

Abstract Yemen is facing one of the most complex development problems and its most serious challenge, namely the problem of water resources scarcity and over-exploited aquifers. As a result, the water shortage is worsening one year after another, aggravated by the continued imbalance between annual recharge and the growing water demand. This has led to the alarming deple­tion of groundwater in a number of basins, wiping out agricultural production and investments in some of these areas. Integrated water resources manage­ment (IWRM) is generally seen as a solution to water management problems. In Europe, the European Water Framework Directive is a means to implement IWRM in order to improve the water quality of surface waters. In the water-scarce Republic of Yemen, IWRM is seen as a method to improve water use and thus to better balance water supply and demand. IWRM should, however, not be seen as a magic solution that creates more water. This paper focuses on the status of water resources and management in Yemen and implementation of IWRM approaches through a National Water Sector Strategy and Investment Plan (NWSSIP), which aims at streamlining the strategies and investments in all water related issues in the Republic of Yemen.

Key words IWRM; NWSSIP; Yemen