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BAHRAIN

technology to be implemen- Obviously this amount also have sustainable services in hundreds of thousands of
ted. We are modifying some includes lost water. When you Bahrain and in the Gulf, we children are dying through
processes and adding value, take the total consumption have to look towards the lack of water and from mal-
but we have not developed and divide it by the number of future generations. We have nutrition. It is a disgrace for
our own technology. In order inhabitants -- which is about 1 to do something to fix some all of mankind. Everything
to do that we would need a million people -- you get a of our old practices. has been focused on and
research centre and we do not figure of around 350 to 380 directed towards working to
have one. On the other hand, litres per day, which is really a 0: Where does the main relieve humankind from daily
there is an important research lot. That is the reason why we income for Bahrain come suffering. You see pictures of
centre in Saudi Arabia, as are trying to tackle this at dif- from? what people endure every day
they too are highly dependent ferent levels -- at the tariff in parts of Africa and Asia.
on desalination. level, on the awareness level We rely heavily on oil reve- And even in our part of the
by alerting people about nues. We do manufacture alu- world people are still suffe-
0: What do you do in consumption and by some minium products, and we also ring every day. It is our
order to make the technical projects and initiati- provide petrochemicals and responsibility to alleviate all
Bahrainis aware of water ves to account for lost water. financial services. Those are of these problems. We are
consumption? Lost water accounts for the main sources of income. now confronted with the
around 30% in the network: Tourism and other services Millennium Development
We have campaigns, yearly 18% of that is a loss within are beginning to contribute, Goals, and we all have a
exhibits and exhibitions aler- the network, 6% is theft, and but not yet significantly. We responsibility to help those
ting the population about the 6% is from meter malfunc- are launching new initiatives others who cannot fulfil these
matter of water conservation. tion. in which most of the compa- requirements.
One thing that we are current- nies owned by the govern-
ly working on is restructuring 0: I was in Nairobi for a meeting
What
about
ment are being put under one
the tariffs. We have to manage electricity? umbrella holding company -- of UN Habitat, and I went to
the demand. Right now, an Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding the Director-General's office.
average person in Bahrain is We are still relying on natural Company. In this way, we are There was a picture on the
consuming almost double the gas to fuel our generating trying to seek other sources wall and I asked her what it
quantity of water that is used plants. Most of our plants use for revenues. was. She said: It is one of
elsewhere in the world. It is two different types of fuel. We the biggest slums in the
nearly double what you can rely on diesel engines, but Q: Are you open world. It is in Kenya. I now
consume in Europe or in the this is only economic for to people looking to do keep this picture in my offi-
United States. This is very emergencies. We are trying to business in Bahrain? ce to remind me every day
significant. We have to cut focus on alternative renewa- of the suffering in people's
down what we use by at least ble sources of energy. One Yes. Bahrain is one of the lives. It is the responsibility
half, otherwise -- no matter alternative is nuclear, the most active countries in the of rich countries to contribu-
what we do -- we will have to others are solar and wind. World Trade Organization, te to support the living of
continue to expand our infras- One of our strategic choices is and we have signed agree- others. I think the Gulf
tructure and pay a lot of to seek alternatives as we ments and opened up mar- countries have devoted quite
money to desalinate water. have limitations on gas pro- kets. We allow investors to considerate amounts of
Our aim is to reduce this duction in Bahrain. come here and we try to make money to change the lives of
consumption and we are now it easier for them to do people in Asia and Africa.
working on different fronts. 0: What about the solar business in Bahrain.
One of them is obviously to and wind energy So why don't we hear about
restructure tariffs -- trying to projects? 0: Do you have a it? Probably we are not
account for non-running message for the inter- doing as much as we should.
water/lost water, and we are We are planning to carry out national community? That is the message that
looking into technologies in some pilot projects with everybody should unders-
order to reduce costs. Our French and German I think that there are a lot of tand. Every day when I
prime concern is the efficient companies on solar and wind things we should do in order wake up I see my daughter
utilization of water. energy. When it comes to to spread some fairness and who is one year and five
solar energy, as far as I equity in the world. There are months old, and she reminds
0: How do you explain understand, it is non-viable in regions in the world that are me that there are babies of
that Bahrainis use nearly commercial her age who do not get pro-
quantities.
suffering a great deal and it's a
double the quantity of Perhaps you can obtain shame on mankind that we do per nutrition. Sometimes
water as Europeans? enough to power your house, not help someone who is you see films that make your
but you would not have affected by food or water heart bleed because there are
It is the same in all the Gulf enough to operate a factory. I shortages, or suffering from people trying to obtain a
countries. While a person in know that in the United States disease, natural disasters and meal a day and they cannot
Europe or in the United States and Japan they are incorpora- so on. It is our responsibility get it. Let us do something
uses 200 litres a day, I think ting solar cells into houses. as human beings living now for God's sake!
that we are using something We work in a different to help alleviate suffering if
around 300 to 350 litres a day. environment here. If we are to we can because today
42009 Diva 15

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