Title: Water resources management in Sub-Saharan Africa: a status review of Niger Republic

Authors: Zakari Mahamadou Mounir; Cheng Sheng Gao; Adamou Mahaman Moustapha; Chuan Ming Ma

Addresses: School of Environment Studies, China University of Geosciences, No. 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, Hubei Province, China ' School of Environment Studies, China University of Geosciences, No. 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, Hubei Province, China ' Department of Water Resources and Forestry, Faculty of Agronomy, University Abdou Moumouni, Niamey, Niger ' School of Environment Studies, China University of Geosciences, No. 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, Hubei Province, China

Abstract: Water determines the survival, health, and welfare of human beings and other biotic and abiotic communities, as well as destructive agents in some situations/times. More than a billion people do not have access to potable water and more than two billion people lack proper sanitation globally. For any environmentally sustainable usage of water resources to be meaningful a sound management practice and procedure that will take into consideration the needs (clean water for human consumption and other domestic uses, to support agricultural industries and other manufacturing industries, hydro-power generation, mining, fisheries and fish farming) must be in place. Water resources management in Niger Republic has been prioritised in line with the above needs, as in the millennium development goals (MDGs) while achieving the set target in targeted year 2015 cannot be guaranteed, Niger as other Sub-Saharan countries and the entire African countries have put enormous efforts to meet this MDGs target but more is needed to be done. The challenges facing Niger's water supply and sanitation (WSS) sector are serious obstacles to achieving sustainable drinking water access and sanitation. To achieve its 2015 MDGs, Niger's WSS sector will need to double its capacity in the years to come.

Keywords: water resources; sanitation; environment; potable water; resource management; water supply; Republic of Niger; water management; Millennium Development Goals; MDGs; sustainable drinking water; sustainable development; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2014.064221

International Journal of Water, 2014 Vol.8 No.3, pp.275 - 298

Accepted: 02 Jan 2013
Published online: 16 Oct 2014 *

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