Water is the lifeblood of humanity and for sustaining human and all life forms.  Water has been too long ignored by many, but it must no longer be.  Middle East has many complicated issues to deal with, however lack of sufficient clean water is at the very top of the list. Clean water in the Middle East is key for advancing its healthcare, preventive measures & all other sectors.

Economic development is greatly lacking in the Middle East, and a key prohibitive factor is the lack of cooperation & investment in accessing clean water & transporting it into the countries. It requires alot of investment, as without this resource, economic development for the masses will be insufficient for progress and growth.

Additionally, for self-sustaining economics & sovereignty, clean water is a must for increasing its agricultural needs.  Suffice it to say, for the numerous conflict-resolution issues in Middle East society, prevention of resource wars, development of their economies and the water dilemma must be a priority, before all others. That, in itself, will resolve many of the economic problems along many sectors & industries, including energy, as water is a key ingredient in energy development. 

Health, water, and development are the key issues the region must address, as soon as possible, before further deeper crises permeate. They are inextricably connected, as water & health are national security issues, that must supersede sufficient development. As a matter of fact, for a longtime the top nuclear threat reduction lobbying group in Washington, DC, has grouped global health security & deaths as similar to the nuclear arms race, though it is rarely stated so, via mass communications. Equally significant is that global health risks on all issues is part of White House National Security mission, in saving lives, yet masses are rarely informed of that, as well. 

Hence, resolving the water and healthcare problems are key necessities, as both are the 2 main ingredients for a civilized, advancing society.  Real, immediate & expertise negotiations are needed, something that has been lacking for far too long, by fair minded,  negotiators, who understand all issues. It is accomplishable.

Below are some key water facts, for The Middle East, that are very important to assess in furthering the water resolution issues, across the board.  (Source:  Healthcommentary.org)


• Water is essential to all life.

• Most of the Earth’s water (99%+) is not fresh, not accessible, or neither fresh nor accessible.

• Agriculture is the leading consumer of water worldwide, consuming 70% of our fresh water.

• Irrigated fields have 400% greater food yield than rain-fed fields. By 2030, 70% of the world’s grain crop will come from irrigated fields.

• Industry is the second leading consumer of fresh water, consuming 22% of our total supply worldwide.

• Water is essential for all forms of energy generation worldwide.

• Investment in water and sanitation has a 34-fold return on investment.

• Safety and security of urban       populations are fundamentally   dependent on wise   water management.

• Water-related diseases account for 25% of all deaths worldwide and 50% of all hospitalized patients.

• Global warming is a significant contributor to water scarcity and disasters.

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George Assad is a Partner/Global Associate of Global Business Access Ltd,  Washington, D.C. & Co-Founder The Healthcare Foundation, dba Tsunami Hospital Foundation. Formerly Chairman of Advisory Council of The World Water Organization in NYC. Also, 30 yrs experience restructuring & overseeing historic and large distressed development projects, distressed country banking systems & companies in all sectors, globally, & sought after advisor to foreign countries & multinationals in the most difficult projects & negotiations, in crises. I can be reached @ georgejassad@gmail.com !