Maji: information bulletin on water resources activities in Africa

Abstract

Africa has enormous water resources potential which when properly and fully developed can contribute to a large extent in improving the socio-economic standard of living for millions. Despite the fact that some of the largest river basins in the world are in this continent, the general image of Africa is of one suffering from frequent droughts and desertification. However, a large percentage of these river basin areas remain undeveloped and/or underdeveloped and much of the waters of its river systems flow through the continent without their full potential being utilized. While less than one third of Africa's total population have access to safe and adequate drinking water, less than 20 percent of its rural population have adequate sanitation facilities.