"Water Infrastructure development continues to be a key focus of the SADC Vision 2050 as outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP, 2020-2030)" said Mr. Sadwick Mtonakutha, the Acting Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary and Director of Finance, Investment and Customs.
Mr Mtonakutha was speaking during the official closing and signing ceremony of the successful Appraisal Mission between SADC, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and KfW Development Bank held in Gaborone, Republic of Botswana from 6th to 9th June 2022.
During this mission, the German Government through KfW has appraised and laid out the roadmap for the programming of 30 million Euros to the SADC Regional Fund for Water Infrastructure and Basic Sanitation (SADC Water Fund). These funds were committed during SADC-German Government Negotiations held in 2021 and come as an addition to the existing support of 15 million euros in water infrastructure.
Mr. Marcel Grella, the representative of the German Ministry for Development and Economic Cooperation (BMZ) at the German Embassy in Botswana, making his remarks on behalf of the German Development Cooperation and KfW, emphasized the importance of water infrastructure and for making the pipelined projects a tangible success for member states and citizens alike. He reiterated the German Government's commitment to work with SADC in the development of water infrastructure in the region.
Ms Silke Stadtmann, KfW Country Director for South Africa expressed the importance of enhancing cooperation noting the complexity of water infrastructure development. She further stated that KfW will continue to work with SADC and the DBSA to support water infrastructure development for the attainment of SDG 6 and promoting resilience to water scarcity in the SADC region.
On behalf of DBSA being the Executing Agency responsible for managing the SADC Water Fund, Mr. Chuene Ramphele, the Group Executive Infrastructure Delivery Division of DBSA, affirmed DBSA's commitment to ensure the social and economic development impact that water and sanitation infrastructure bring to the people in the region. He further reiterated DBSA's commitment to support the implementation of projects in the SADC Water Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Mtonakutha as well as the Director for Infrastructure, Mrs. Mapolao Mokoena further highlighted the importance of the SADC Water Fund in the realisation of regional infrastructure development and poverty reduction. They stated that water and sanitation infrastructure is an enabler for regional development, especially considering the importance of regional access to clean and sustainable water services to livelihoods and development.
The SADC Regional Fund's development objectives are to:
- promote and support strategic transboundary & pro-poor water supply and sanitation infrastructure (WSS) development in the SADC region;
- promote climate resilience in the water supply and sanitation sector in the SADC region; and
- facilitate application of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles for infrastructure developments.
The SADC Water fund is currently supporting the implementation of two projects namely Lomahasha/Namaacha Cross-Border Water Supply Project (between Eswatini and Mozambique), and the Kazungula Cross-Border Water Supply Project.
Under the new PHASE III, the SADC Water Fund will also seek to support the Ramotswa Transboundary Aquifer Development Project. As part of the Appraisal Mission, SADC Secretariat, DBSA and KfW undertook site visits to the Dinokana Springs (South Africa) and Ramotswa wellfields (Botswana) with the aim to conceptualise on the scope of potential issues to be addressed by the aquifer transboundary water project.
