The Republic of Zambia has partnered with the African Union (AU) Commission on the official the Zambia Water Investment Programme and stressed that, “Social economic development cannot be achieved without attaining water security on the African Continent.”
Speaking at the occasion, Hakainde Hichilema, Zambian president, called on the international community, development partners, government ministries and departments, as well as private sector to rally behind this landmark investment programme to ensure national water security so that every Zambian has access to clean water and adequate sanitation services.
H.E Amb. Josefa Sacko, Rural Economy and Agriculture African Union Commissioner congratulated Zambia for launching the Water Investment Programme, commending it as an example for other countries to emulate.
“We nourish the deep conviction that delivering water investments across Africa is vital for achieving Agenda 2063. Unfortunately, the current trend of investment flow into the sector is far below target to meet the continent’s growing needs,” Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD stated in her address.
Ms Bekele Thomas also remarked that under the framework of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), AUDA-NEPAD and its Water Sector Partners have made concerted efforts to raise the profile of water infrastructure projects and make a case for accelerated water investments.
The Zambia Water Investment Programme falls within the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), which was adopted by the African Heads of State and Government in February 2021 during the 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union.
In his message, H.E Jakaya Kikwete stated that the biggest impact of climate change is on water. “We have been working with AUDA-NEPAD and other partners to develop the first ever Africa Water Investment Scorecard, which will be an instrument to measure our progress,” H.E Kikwete said.
The Zambia Water Investment Programme will be presented as an example of how countries can prepare the ground for investment mobilisation.
The key results that are expected from the formulation and implementation of the Zambia Water Investment Programme are the leveraging of about US$5.75 billion for water security investments and the creation of about 200,000 formal jobs in Zambia by 2030. The main objective of the Zambia Water Investment Programme is to enhance job creation through gender-sensitive investments in water security, industrialisation and climate-resilient development.
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