Third World Sanitation (Why it’s not solved)

Water and sanitation services have been on the international agenda since the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. But long-term financial investments into the necessary infrastructure have been insufficient, and international targets were initially set too low. (The International Institute for Sustainable Development — IISD).

Foreign governments have always been generous to Third World countries in terms of medical supplies, vaccines, food, infrastructure and finances. They espouse support for these countries, mainly in large infrastructure projects, and there is always an underlying reason for this concern.

Call it strategic alliances, geopolitical partnerships and/or an effort to show off their ‘generosity’ to others. Global hegemony is typically at the forefront of foreign aid and it’s accomplished with support. The rich countries see aid to Third World nations as a function of world domination be it China, Russia, America or the UK.

Infrastructure Aid
Governments are not the only player in foreign aid. Charities, often based in the USA, follow governments lead in pushing for funding infrastructure in the less fortunate ‘developing’ countries. I’ve always thought that its nice to have a water treatment plant in the Sudan but when it needs regular maintenance there are no technicians to do it. Or…