A total of US $125m was approved to support Namibia’s Water Sector Support Program. Gladys Wambui Gichuri, Director of the Water Development & Sanitation Department revealed the report and said that the approval came from the African Development Bank (US $122m loan) and the Rural Water Supply Sanitation Initiative Trust Fund (US $3m)
The program is set to facilitate sustainable production and transfer of water resources to improve access to potable water and for agricultural and industrial use. It will also enhance sanitation in rural areas and enrich institutional capacity, sustainable management and utilization.
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Water Sector Support Program
According to Gladys Wambui, it seeks to increase access to sustainable water services from the current level of 85% and sanitation services from 54% to the universal 100% target by 2030.
The program entails construction and rehabilitation of bulk water infrastructure and associated fixtures, construction of water supply schemes and climate resilient inclusive sanitation facilities, hygiene interventions and institutional capacity building initiatives. It will be implemented over five years.
“The project aligns to Namibia’s national development plans and a government priority to boost the availability and affordability of water as a basic element for making Namibia a prosperous and industrialized nation by 2030,” said Gladys Wambui.
Upon completion, the project will directly benefit estimated 1 million people and 250,000 indirect beneficiaries, mostly women. Rural residents will gain better health from improved environmental and sanitary conditions.
The country is currently facing national water crisis due to severe droughts. The 2018/19 rainy season, one of the driest since 1981, only received 50% or less of average seasonal rainfall, thereby posing serious constraints to the southern African nation’s economic, environmental and social development agenda.
