Media Release
SADC Ministers Responsible for Water to Meet in Harare, Zimbabwe this week
HARARE, 30th June 2015 – Ministers responsible for Water from the 15 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States will meet on Friday, 3rd July 2015, in Harare to review progress on the implementation of the third phase of the Regional Strategic Action Plan on Integrated Water Resources Management and Development (RSAP III) 2011-2015.
The Ministers will further provide strategic and political guidance on the 4th phase of the SADC Water Programme (RSAP IV) which is under development.
The SADC Water Minsters meeting will be preceded by meetings of senior officials in the water Sector, and the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) Council of Ministers which will be held on Thursday, 2nd July. The ZAMCOM ministerial meeting is aimed at reviewing progress on the implementation of the ZAMCOM programme and further approve various institutional and governance guiding instruments.
The SADC’s Water Programme is the framework for action to achieve sustainable development of water resources in the region through the development of water infrastructure on the basis of sound water governance and water management. Similarly, the ZAMCOM programme has the same objective as the SADC one but focusing on the cooperation in the Zambezi basin which is shared by eight SADC Member states, as part of the implementation Plan of the Zambezi IWRM Basin Strategy.
Taking advantage of the presence of Water Ministers, other River Basin Organisations (RBOs) such as Okavango Watercourse Commission (OKACOM) will also have side Ministerial meetings to approve and guide the RBOs’ respective programmes. The ministerial meetings are essential to provide the much needed political will to ensure achievement of the objectives of the SADC Water programmes.
The SADC Secretariat through its Water Sector facilitates the establishment and strengthening of RBOs so that together with the RBOs and Island States, the water potential in the region can be unlocked to enable water play its role of being an engine and catalyst for social and economic development in the region.
The SADC water sector also facilitates processes to ensure that water is used as a tool for peace and security in shared watercourses and that there is adequate water supply, for sanitation, energy, food security and for industrial development, whilst ensuring that the region is safe from water related disasters like floods, droughts and sea water intrusion.
In the case of the SADC Island States, besides using water for economic growth, more emphasis is put on managing the impact of water related disasters, exploring alternative sources of water and protection of the marine ecosystems.
The last meeting of SADC Ministers responsible for the Water Sector was held on 30th May, 2013, in Luanda, Angola.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Lopi, Communications and Awareness Expert – Water Sector, SADC Secretariat, Infrastructure and Services Directorate, Tel: + 267 3641790, Zimbabwe Mobile: +263 717688379; Email: blopi@sadc.int or Leonissah Munjoma, Programme Manager, Information, Communication and Partnerships (ZAMCOM), TEL: +263 253361/2/3 Mobile: +263 773587634; Email: Leonissah@zambezicommission.org
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