Africa-Press – Botswana. The Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) has launched a programme aimed at ensuring available resources in the eight riparian states are sufficient to match demand.
Water ministers representing Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, launched the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Zambezi River Basin (PIDACC Zambezi) in Kasane on Wednesday.
Addressing the ZAMCOM Council of Ministers ordinary meeting, chairperson and Minister of Lands and Water Affairs Dr Kefentse Mzwinila stated that the approval of PIDACC Zambezi as a priority investment programme was a great milestone.
He revealed that ZAMCOM had approached development partners for financial support for the programme’s implementation and had already signed a financing agreement with the African Development Bank.
Dr Mzwinila said the programme was expected to benefit all member states and strengthen regional cooperation.
“For the first time since the establishment of this organisation, we have an investment programme which contains investment projects in various water-related sectors including agriculture, irrigation, water supply, landscape management as well as water sources protection and conservation initiatives,” he said.
The minister emphasised that the programme’s planning and implementation required the involvement and participation of all relevant sectors and stakeholders from all eight countries.
Dr Mzwinila thanked ZAMCOM for allocating 495 million cubic meters per annum from the Chobe/Zambezi River for agricultural purposes and domestic use in Botswana.
He said Botswana engaged transactional advisors to structure the project for implementation through public private partnership.
Procurement of the private sector partner would be done after completion of the transactional advisory work at the end of May, disclosed the minister.
In his remarks, ZAMCOM executive secretary Mr Felix Ngamlagosi said sourcing of funds from the African Development Bank for PIDACC Zambezi was a great achievement.
He said a consultant had been engaged to identify people’s needs by ensuring access to land and sustainability while also safeguarding natural resources.
The meeting will culminate in Botswana handing over the ZAMCOM Council of Ministers chairpersonship to Mozambique.
ZAMCOM is an organisation set up by eight riparian states that share the Zambezi River Basin with the aim of promoting equitable utilisation of water resources and ensuring efficient management and sustainable development.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
