The United Nations has recently called for find long-term solutions to the problem of drought and lack of water for communities.
Monique Barbut‚ Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification‚ said on Monday: “I am calling for solidarity from the international community with the people who are battling the ravages of drought and flood. Let us find long-term solutions‚ not just quick fixes‚ to disasters that are destroying communities.”
Drawing attention to droughts that affected communities in North Eastern Brazil‚ Somali‚ Ethiopia‚ Kenya and Namibia‚ she said households would not be able to survive if the land they lived on was degraded.
These conditions were a spur for migration‚ gross human rights abuses and long-term security threats.
“We have seen this before – in Darfur following four decades of droughts and desertification and‚ more recently‚ in Syria‚ following the long drought of 2007-2010. It is tragic to see a society breaking down when we can reduce the vulnerability of communities through simple and affordable acts such as restoring the degraded lands they live on‚ and helping countries to set up better systems for drought early warning and to prepare for and manage drought and floods‚” Barbut said.
“I hope that World Day to Combat Desertification this year marks a turning point for every country. We need to show‚ through practical action and cooperation‚ how every country is tackling or supporting these challenges at the front-end to preempt or minimize the potential impacts of the disasters‚ not just at the back-end after the disasters happen‚” she said.
This year’s World Day to Combat Desertification will take place on 17 June.