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Forget oil. The commodity that will be fought over in the near future will be water. It may be difficult for developed nations to understand the need for clean, safe water and that other nations do not take this resource for granted.

Access to clean water in nations like Kenya and Ethiopia is a growing concern and tribal conflict over watering holes is on the rise. The rise in conflict over water is made worse by the proliferation of small arms from neighboring Somalia.

Dry season is growing longer in Eastern Africa, in part due to global warming, and nations like Kenya and Ethiopia do not have access to irrigation. The problem is not limited to Eastern Africa however.

According to Water 1st International 1 in 5 people on the planet do not have access to clean water. According to their website at water1st.org "providing people with safe water is the first step to ending the cycle of poverty, illness, and death."

The global community has not overlooked the need for safe water; the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development has been examining the issue with the goal of providing safe water for all peoples.

Until such a time as all nations realize the implications of global warming on the water supplies in nations like Kenya and Ethiopia and take appropriate action to promote sustainable development region conflicts are likely. Tribal conflicts already occur in these nations in Eastern Africa.

There is little to keep these tribal conflicts from spilling over into national conflicts over the ownership rights of clean, safe water. The prospect of wars over the ownership of water is not simply a remote possibility.

Even in nations that are not likely to see open, inter-state, violent conflict access to clean and safe water is a major concern. South Africa, considered one of the continents most developed nations, is quickly approaching a situation in which the poor will not be able to afford water.

Major projects in South Africa concerning water have created racial and tribal tensions with people becoming violent. Understandably, water is a vital necessity and a lack of access to clean water is a major concern.

Providing people with safe and clean water is the first step in ending such problems as poverty, illness, and death. Making this clean and safe water accessible to all peoples should be a top priority of developed nations around the globe.

Unless that goal is achieved soon wars over the ownership of water will become commonplace.

Learn more about this author, Daniel Xiao Wang.
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