Act Together to Tackle Water Crisis, Faith Groups Urged

African Leaders Warned of Climate Change Impact

Africa's growing water crisis demands leadership and common action among faith groups, says Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko (left), general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

In his keynote address to religious leaders and other participants attending the Third Summit of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA), Noko emphasized that clean water was available to few Africans.

"Envisioning a Peaceful Africa: Water for All," is the theme of the 17-21 November summit in Botswana's capital, Gaborone. The first of its kind to include participation from government and business leaders, the conference is expected to harness future collaboration among stakeholders on peace and development in Africa and address climate change.

"There is an urgent need for the public sector to play an active role in the creation of awareness and education on the correct use of water. Water is a paramount issue. Conflict and peace both hang on this issue. None of the three categories of stakeholders convened in this summit - religious communities, governments and the private sector - can undertake their responsibilities without this essential commodity," said Noko, who is IFAPA's president.

Established in October 2002, the pan-African body focuses on active engagement of religious leaders in conflict resolution and peace building on the continent.

Building Block

Noko reminded the 70 delegates from various faiths and sectors of society about the central place of water in religious practice and belief. "Water is, first and foremost, a primary building block of life, which all religious traditions hold sacred."

He pointed out that "despite the growing water crisis in many parts of Africa, religious leaders and communities [...] appeared to lack awareness of the challenges associated with water resource management and ownership.

"Water certainly qualifies as a common problem in the African context, given the process of desertification in many areas, and the general lack of adequate water source infrastructure and management facilities throughout the continent," he said.

The LWF leader cautioned that the water crisis in Africa was worsening with growing population, increasing industrialization and particularly climate change, which experts predict will hit Africa hardest of all, exposing up to 250 million people to increased water stress and reducing rain-fed farm yields by up to 50 percent by 2020.

"The impact of climate change can also be seen already in the death of rivers in many places in Africa, with once important sources of water for communities and nations having vanished," said Noko.

Water - Our source of Life

The IFAPA summit will launch the Southern Africa Development Community "Mothers' Cry for a Healthy Africa Campaign," following a similar move in East Africa, to affirm women's critical role in issues that deal with peace and security. "In launching this campaign in this region, we are not simply re-stating the facts that make Africa unwell, but we want to do something to change the situation. And this campaign is not only by and for women, but by and for all daughters and sons of Africa," noted Noko.

While reminding delegates that conflicts remained a challenge to the continent’s stability and development, the IFAPA president emphasized that Africa’s future lies in its own hands. "We have always said that poverty in Africa is a contradiction because this continent is rich, very rich. The problem lies in realizing that we Africans have to take the lead in the management and distribution of this wealth for the good of our children and future generations," he added.
Botswana's Minister for Labor and Home Affairs Mr Peter Siele said his government continues to cooperate with faith-based organizations to find solutions to social problems facing the Southern African country.

"Through structures such as the interfaith dialogue in Botswana, religious and faith-based organizations can now speak with one voice and this will greatly facilitate cooperation and dialogue between the government and religious communities," he said.

Act Together to Tackle Water Crisis, Faith Groups Urged

African Leaders Warned of Climate Change Impact

Africa's growing water crisis demands leadership and common action among faith groups, says Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko (left), general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

In his keynote address to religious leaders and other participants attending the Third Summit of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA), Noko emphasized that clean water was available to few Africans.

"Envisioning a Peaceful Africa: Water for All," is the theme of the 17-21 November summit in Botswana's capital, Gaborone. The first of its kind to include participation from government and business leaders, the conference is expected to harness future collaboration among stakeholders on peace and development in Africa and address climate change.

"There is an urgent need for the public sector to play an active role in the creation of awareness and education on the correct use of water. Water is a paramount issue. Conflict and peace both hang on this issue. None of the three categories of stakeholders convened in this summit - religious communities, governments and the private sector - can undertake their responsibilities without this essential commodity," said Noko, who is IFAPA's president.

Established in October 2002, the pan-African body focuses on active engagement of religious leaders in conflict resolution and peace building on the continent.

Building Block

Noko reminded the 70 delegates from various faiths and sectors of society about the central place of water in religious practice and belief. "Water is, first and foremost, a primary building block of life, which all religious traditions hold sacred."

He pointed out that "despite the growing water crisis in many parts of Africa, religious leaders and communities [...] appeared to lack awareness of the challenges associated with water resource management and ownership.

"Water certainly qualifies as a common problem in the African context, given the process of desertification in many areas, and the general lack of adequate water source infrastructure and management facilities throughout the continent," he said.

The LWF leader cautioned that the water crisis in Africa was worsening with growing population, increasing industrialization and particularly climate change, which experts predict will hit Africa hardest of all, exposing up to 250 million people to increased water stress and reducing rain-fed farm yields by up to 50 percent by 2020.

"The impact of climate change can also be seen already in the death of rivers in many places in Africa, with once important sources of water for communities and nations having vanished," said Noko.

Water - Our source of Life

The IFAPA summit will launch the Southern Africa Development Community "Mothers' Cry for a Healthy Africa Campaign," following a similar move in East Africa, to affirm women's critical role in issues that deal with peace and security. "In launching this campaign in this region, we are not simply re-stating the facts that make Africa unwell, but we want to do something to change the situation. And this campaign is not only by and for women, but by and for all daughters and sons of Africa," noted Noko.

While reminding delegates that conflicts remained a challenge to the continent’s stability and development, the IFAPA president emphasized that Africa’s future lies in its own hands. "We have always said that poverty in Africa is a contradiction because this continent is rich, very rich. The problem lies in realizing that we Africans have to take the lead in the management and distribution of this wealth for the good of our children and future generations," he added.
Botswana's Minister for Labor and Home Affairs Mr Peter Siele said his government continues to cooperate with faith-based organizations to find solutions to social problems facing the Southern African country.

"Through structures such as the interfaith dialogue in Botswana, religious and faith-based organizations can now speak with one voice and this will greatly facilitate cooperation and dialogue between the government and religious communities," he said.

Act Together to Tackle Water Crisis, Faith Groups Urged

African Leaders Warned of Climate Change Impact

Africa's growing water crisis demands leadership and common action among faith groups, says Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko (left), general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

In his keynote address to religious leaders and other participants attending the Third Summit of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA), Noko emphasized that clean water was available to few Africans.

"Envisioning a Peaceful Africa: Water for All," is the theme of the 17-21 November summit in Botswana's capital, Gaborone. The first of its kind to include participation from government and business leaders, the conference is expected to harness future collaboration among stakeholders on peace and development in Africa and address climate change.

"There is an urgent need for the public sector to play an active role in the creation of awareness and education on the correct use of water. Water is a paramount issue. Conflict and peace both hang on this issue. None of the three categories of stakeholders convened in this summit - religious communities, governments and the private sector - can undertake their responsibilities without this essential commodity," said Noko, who is IFAPA's president.

Established in October 2002, the pan-African body focuses on active engagement of religious leaders in conflict resolution and peace building on the continent.

Building Block

Noko reminded the 70 delegates from various faiths and sectors of society about the central place of water in religious practice and belief. "Water is, first and foremost, a primary building block of life, which all religious traditions hold sacred."

He pointed out that "despite the growing water crisis in many parts of Africa, religious leaders and communities [...] appeared to lack awareness of the challenges associated with water resource management and ownership.

"Water certainly qualifies as a common problem in the African context, given the process of desertification in many areas, and the general lack of adequate water source infrastructure and management facilities throughout the continent," he said.

The LWF leader cautioned that the water crisis in Africa was worsening with growing population, increasing industrialization and particularly climate change, which experts predict will hit Africa hardest of all, exposing up to 250 million people to increased water stress and reducing rain-fed farm yields by up to 50 percent by 2020.

"The impact of climate change can also be seen already in the death of rivers in many places in Africa, with once important sources of water for communities and nations having vanished," said Noko.

Water - Our source of Life

The IFAPA summit will launch the Southern Africa Development Community "Mothers' Cry for a Healthy Africa Campaign," following a similar move in East Africa, to affirm women's critical role in issues that deal with peace and security. "In launching this campaign in this region, we are not simply re-stating the facts that make Africa unwell, but we want to do something to change the situation. And this campaign is not only by and for women, but by and for all daughters and sons of Africa," noted Noko.

While reminding delegates that conflicts remained a challenge to the continent’s stability and development, the IFAPA president emphasized that Africa’s future lies in its own hands. "We have always said that poverty in Africa is a contradiction because this continent is rich, very rich. The problem lies in realizing that we Africans have to take the lead in the management and distribution of this wealth for the good of our children and future generations," he added.
Botswana's Minister for Labor and Home Affairs Mr Peter Siele said his government continues to cooperate with faith-based organizations to find solutions to social problems facing the Southern African country.

"Through structures such as the interfaith dialogue in Botswana, religious and faith-based organizations can now speak with one voice and this will greatly facilitate cooperation and dialogue between the government and religious communities," he said.