GWPSA-Africa is encouraged to hear the pronouncement by Finance Minister Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane, that Government will proactively engage stakeholders to mobilise resources for the Zambia Water Investment Programme (AIP-Zambia), which was launched by H.E. President Hakainde Hichilema on July 16, 2022, during the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Summit in Lusaka.
GWPSA- Africa's Executive Secretary Mr. Alex Simalabwi (in red tie), with Zambia's President (second form left) and Finance Minister (L) During the launch of the Zambia Water Investment Programme
The Zambia Water Investment Programme positions water as a key enabler of socio-economic development through efforts aimed at job creation and economic empowerment. The Programme will leverage US$5.75 billion for water security investments and create approximately 200,000 formal jobs by 2030.
We are delighted to see strong focus and attention through Hon Musokotwane’s statement to the National Assembly, on Government’s commitment to the implementation of the AIP-Zambia by mobilising the much-needed resources. The Zambian Government has already committed $1 billion towards the water investment programme, which is a great step forward and ties in with Africa’s objective to close the water investment gap, by doubling water investments by 2030 currently estimated at US$ 11-20billion a year through the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) adopted by African Union Heads of States in February 2022.
The AIP-Zambia presents a blueprint for the future of the water sector because it offers an alternative and innovative blended finance approach, which will leverage public finance, development, and grant finance to de-risk priority water and sanitation investments so that the private sector can invest their resources in water. The largest source of funding for the Programme is expected to be from the private sector through blended finance using Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) delivery model.
A homegrown programme developed under the leadership of by Hon Mike Mposha, Minister of Water Development and Sanitation with technical support from the GWPSSA-Africa and other local development partners, the Zambia Water Investment Programme is Africa’s first such programme, 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.
In addition to H.E. President Macky Sall of Senegal, the Panel is Co-Chaired by H.E. Hage Geingob, President of Namibia; H.E. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; and alternately Co-Chaired by H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The objective of the panel is to develop actionable pathways for mobilising US$30bn annually by 2030, for implementing the AIP and closing the existing water investment gap in Africa, which is estimated at US$11-20bn. This innovative approach of leveraging high level international support anchored on locally led political leadership, financing via bended public-private finance mechanisms and track implementation progress and mutual accountability through the AIP Water Investment Scorecard, will be applied to the AIP-Zambia and beyond the Zambia Water Investment Programme through to other investments programmes developed and implemented under the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), with the overall goal of transforming the investment outlook for water and sanitation on the continent.
Read the Full Statement Issued by Alex Simalabwi GWPSA-Africa Executive Secretary