The Zanzibar Water Investment Programme was launched at the High-Level Water Investment Conference held on 11 March 2022, in Zanzibar, with the goal of transforming the investment outlook for water and sanitation in Africa.
The conference was co-hosted by H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi and H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, Chair of Global Water Partnership Southern Africa and Africa Coordination (GWPSA-ACU) and former President of the United Republic of Tanzania. The event was convened by GWPSA-ACU, in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), African Ministers Council on Water, African Development Bank (AfDB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, and Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Gearing Zanzibar to achieving the Blue Economy
“The Zanzibar Water Investment Programme supports the implementation of the Zanzibar Development vision 2050 towards achieving the Blue Economy Policy. The Programme is geared toward promoting investment in the sector, strengthening governance, enhancing capacity of various stakeholders, mobilizing resources, and ultimately, ensuring the optimal water supply to all the areas and people of Zanzibar,” said H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi.
President Mwinyi added that the successful implementation of the Programme was vital given that water is one of the most essential natural resources needed, as well as for the attainment of all national and international development plans.
Zanzibar in support of the AIP
The Zanzibar Water Investment Programme is the first country-specific programme designed under the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), which aims to mobilise USD30billion per year towards water security in Africa. The AIP was adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government, as part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa – Priority Action Plan 2 (PIDA-PAP 2) in 2021. The Scorecard was launched at PIDA Week on 2 March 2022.
“The High-Level Water Investment Conference in Zanzibar has been convened to support the AIP and to collectively find solutions to unlocking investments into African water security,” said H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete.
Delivery on water investments in Africa is lagging behind the continent’s economic and social needs and behind other growth sectors. The African Development Bank estimates that USD64bn should be invested each year to meet the Vision of Water security for all by 2030. The actual figure invested is USD10-19bn, leaving an annual investment gap of USD45bn-59bn.
“The AIP supports country-specific efforts, such as the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme, to find adapting the operating environment to one which is more favourable to improving the investment outlook for water projects,” added H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete.
AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard showcased at Conference
The High-Level Water Investment Conference served to showcase an innovative new tool developed through an iterative and consultative pan-African process which will support countries to attract investments into the sector: the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard.
“The Scorecard will rally political leadership and commitment to transform the investment outlook for water and sanitation towards the realisation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 by supporting countries to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and take action,” said H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete.
The AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard was formally adopted at the recent Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in February of this year, as part of PIDA.
“The AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard will be the yardstick that provides the metrics on how well we are doing in closing the water investment gap. The Scorecard will bring an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the enabling conditions for water investments; from policies to regulations to institutional arrangements, both on the water side and on the finance side, and to be able to track how those conditions change and result in accelerated water investments,” said H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive of AUDA-NEPAD.
The Zanzibar Water Investment Conference takes place in the lead up to the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, 21-26 March 2022, as an opportunity to initiate high-level dialogue on water investment which may be amplified through the Forum.
Statements of support from partners
In addition to the launch of the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme and the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard, the event included a high-level leaders’ session where the Heads of the organisations that have been supporting the Scorecard shared perspectives for unlocking investments from domestic and international sources, including the private sector.
“Investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is an investment in health and in all our futures. WASH is critical to achieving the sustainable development goals. The World Health Organisation is proud to have helped develop the AIP Water Investment Scorecard,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation.
“The UNDP is developing a sustainable financing model for the AIP Blended Investment Mechanism Facility. This will allow utility companies and water service companies in Africa to get financing independently that will allow them to invest in infrastructure and environmental management to provide safe water,” said Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UNDP.
“What the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard brings, through its three pillars of enabling, financing, sustainability is a shift from simply tracking investments to encouraging peer-to-peer learning across Africa countries. This is welcome by the World Bank,” said Dr Catherine Tovey, Programme Leader at the World Bank Group.
“Water lies at the heart of the USD25bn Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program which the Global Center on Adaptation is supporting with the AfDB. It is an economic imperative to invest in water climate adaptation, that is why we are supporting the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard,” said Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation.
Call to Action issued by Conference delegates
Over 300 delegates attended the High-Level Water Investment Conference, from across the Southern African Development Community and the rest of Africa. They issued a Communique (download the full document) with the following Joint Call to Action:
- SUPPORT transformation of the water and sanitation investment in Zanzibar to narrow the water and sanitation investment gap as part of the post COVID-economy recovery.
- CALL UPON countries to implement AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard through development of response strategies and investment programmes aimed at ensuring adaptation to climate change, climate resilient WASH, combating pandemics, ensuring food security, and
- SUPPORT the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in the implementation of the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme (2022 – 2027) with a total budget USD 665 million and ensure sustainable water and sanitation service provision.
- CALL UPON Partners to mobilise investments to support the implementation of prioritised projects and initiatives in the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme and support other countries in the SADC Region and Africa.
- Furthermore, CALL UPON partners to support SADC in efforts to mobilise climate finance for countries.
