ZAMCOM in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Zambia, Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) and the Kwando/Cuando River Basin Riparian States today launched two reports – The Kwando/Cuando State of the Basin Report and the Kwando/Cuando River Basin Health Report Card. The launch took place in Livingstone, Zambia on 3rd June, 2022.
The two reports are a result of a project titled “Transboundary Governance of the Kwando/Cuando River Basin: Protecting the Heart of Southern Africa” implemented by the partnership from 2019.
The specific objective of the Kwando/Cuando River Basin Project was to strengthen the transboundary dialogue, cooperation, planning, management, and governance of water resources in the Kwando/Cuando River Basin in Southern Africa to reduce any potential for conflict among the Riparian States.
The Kwando/Cuando River Basin is shared by four Southern African countries. These are: The Republic of Angola, The Republic of Namibia, The Republic of Botswana and The Republic of Zambia – all Zambezi Watercourse Riparian States.
In his welcome remarks during the launch, the ZAMCOM Executive Secretary, Mr. Felix Ngamlagosi congratulated WWF, KAZA and the four Riparian States for the demonstrated transboundary cooperation that culminated in the successful completion of the project despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“The successful implementation of the Kwando/Cuando River Basin Project clearly demonstrates the multi-sectoral stakeholder spirit that enhances transboundary dialogue and cooperation on programmes and projects that ultimately contribute to the upliftment of the socio-economic welfare of Zambezi Watercourse inhabitants, in general, and its river basins, in particular, while protecting the integrity of the environment is paramount,” Mr. Ngamlagosi said.
The Executive Secretary said lessons and experiences and outputs from this project will be up-scaled to the regional stakeholder driven efforts for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Zambezi Watercourse. This will be done through the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Zambezi Watercourse (PIDACC Zambezi), an investment programme which ZAMCOM is developing with its Strategic Partner Organisations (SPOs).
These include the Global Mechanism for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (GM-UNCCD), the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Mr. Ngamlagosi thanked the International Cooperating Partners, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The United States Department of State (USDOS) for their dedicated financial support to the project.
