Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema officiated the inauguration of the Zambia Water Investment Programme, an almost US$6 billion program, with an aim to benefit hundreds of thousands of people in the country, reports Lusakatimes.com
In collaboration with the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, the Government of Zambia, launched the new investment programme last Saturday.
Speaking at the official high-level launch at the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Centre, President Hichilema said: “Social economic development cannot be achieved without attaining water security on the African continent.
He added: “We call on the international community, development partners, government ministries and departments, as well as the 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.”
Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, commented on the launch, highlighting: “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 the target to meet the continent’s growing needs.”
According to Lusaka Times, the new Programme will leverage US$5.75 billion for water security investments and create approximately 200,000 formal jobs in Zambia by 2030.
One of the main objectives of this initiative is to enhance job creation through gender-sensitive investments in water security, industrialization and climate-resilient development.
The Zambia Water Investment Programme is Africa’s first national-level water investment programme developed following the launch of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa in March 2022 by H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chair of the African Union.
The programme will serve as an example of how countries can prepare for investment mobilization.
