Dundee University to help prevent Nile’s fresh water disputes

Dundee University has been asked to help prevent water wars breaking out in Africa.

It will be using its expertise in water law to aid efforts at restarting stalled talks on a treaty between the 10 countries through which the Nile flows.

The university hosts the UNESCO centre for water law, policy and science and its director, Professor Patricia Wouters, will be taking part in a conference in Rwanda this month.

The Nile basin development forum will be trying to promote international co-operation.

Professor Wouters said millions of people were affected by hydro-politics in the region and that it was vital peaceful resolutions could be found to the challenges facing the countries that rely on the Nile’s water.

The United Nations reckons that by 2025 there will be 30 countries in which fresh water is officially scarce.

Most of these countries are in north-east Africa and the Middle East, including Egypt and Somalia.