I reckon that international pressure on the Kenyan authorities will get the empty refugee camp opened before long but, in Somalia, there isn't really a government to talk to and anyone who goes looking for one is likely to be taken hostage and held to ransom. A while ago, a British gun boat would have been sent up the river to bring a little order and to keep the trade routes open. The US tried something similar in the 1990s but, for now, anyone in Somalia does basically what they can for themselves and any water network wont come until a while after the fighting stops.

So why doesn't some "modern day" - Bob Geldof - start talking with these African governments - explaining the whys and wherefores ?

If not - thousands are going to die

huckster:

desalination plants require a huge amount of power to be able to run,

No. A desalination plant is just a tank or two with a clear sloping lid and a dark bottom. Under heat from the sun, the water evaporates and condenses on the lid (as drinkable water) and drains into a gutter. No power is required for this. The water needs to be pumped into the tank(s) and around the water network, as with any system. The pumping could be with solar powered electric pumps, hand pumps or solar pumps. One square meter of surface area on the tank will produce a couple of litres of water each day and it's not impossible to have small systems for one house or one farm.

Many of the problems come with organising the infrastructure for a system that operates over anything more than a small local area. Many African governments are not good at organising anything outside their capital city. Somaila, where many of the refugees are coming from, is worse than the rest.

There is actually a "spare" refugee camp in the same area as many of the refugees. It curently has water and accommodation but the local government has not yet given the go-ahead for it to be used.

Look what happened to a debate that started off about drought issues and what could be done about it.

It is a serious point about what can be done in regions where they will have droughts during certain periods. They need to have infrastructure put in to support getting water to where it is required, so they are self sufficient in terms of basic needs. Apparently desalination plants require a huge amount of power to be able to run, so they would need to have huge solar farms and/or power plants built to support them. I presume the costs would run into tens, if not hundreds of billions. I think they have such plants in the middle east, but those countries only have relatively small populations and huge amounts of money on the back of oil sales.

exterminator:

Well lets use the word reproduction instead....same difference.

It's a little less offensive.

exterminator:

Better still why not reduce the breeding.? They have been aware for many-many years now that they are incapable of supporting their ever increasing population, yet they still have the strength and stamina to keep on breeding....I and others would willingly send a regular consignment of the birth pill to assist.

It is they who are cruel; by consistantly and knowingly producing copious amounts of youngsters into a world where there is neither the required amount of food and water, nor the other essential facilities required to support them.!

How about Gas Chambers ?

Haven't we been here before ....?

Whilst I agree that the number of kids that they tend to have - does them no favours - enforced contraception is not the answer - how many years before the reduction would have any effect on the current population - starving to death ?

The only long term answer is education together with an infrastructure designed to help them - all of which costs money - but surely better than the repeated (and probably getting worse) requests for foreign aid ?

Well lets use the word reproduction instead....same difference.

exterminator:

Better still why not reduce the breeding.?

Animals breed, people have children.

Better still why not reduce the breeding.? They have been aware for many-many years now that they are incapable of supporting their ever increasing population, yet they still have the strength and stamina to keep on breeding....I and others would willingly send a regular consignment of the birth pill to assist.

It is they who are cruel; by consistantly and knowingly producing copious amounts of youngsters into a world where there is neither the required amount of food and water, nor the other essential facilities required to support them.!

Indeed. A national pipe network would need organising at government level.

A Pipe network - which *most* people in this country would be more willing to contribute towards - rather than the apparent short term food aid solution.

I fail to see any reason why desalination is not used ....

They are not really expensive. They are often just a tank with a sloping roof and a gutter for the condensation to drain into - very useful near the coast but not all countries can organise the infrastructure to get the water processed and delivered to where it is needed.

Why don't they build solar powered de-salination plants - with pumping stations to pump fresh water inland to wherever needed ?

There is unlimited sea water and sunlight

This would cost a lot of money - but surely long term solution is better than continued problems ?