Water sector to be capacitated with experts

The joint management committee of the Namibia and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) water support project has officially been inaugurated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.
The inauguration of the committee follows after a meeting was held at the end of last month during which it was highlighted that the project lacked implementation due to the absence of a memorandum of understanding.
The resolutions from the meeting said the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the project as part of the roadmap agreed upon in 2011.
The meeting also endorsed the project framework document, agreed to accelerate its implementation and approved the composition of the joint management committee.
The project came about following the severe floods Namibia experienced between 2008 and 2011, which saw thousands of people displaced due to their homes being submerged.
Some of the objectives of the project are capacitating young experts, water professionals and practitioners within the programme at an early stage, and to establish a national platform for water security, involving universities.
It will also develop a long-term integrated flood and drought management plan for the Cuvelai-Etosha basin.
The government will need approximately N$75 million for the next five years to develop a long-term water support project for the northern regions. Government already availed N$10 million to develop a masters degree programmes at the University of Namibia (Unam) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) to build staff capacity to effectively manage recurring natural disasters
Minister of agriculture John Mutorwa this week said that the committee will literally take the leadership role to practically ensure the implementation of the project.
He said that Namibia has in the past and in the present suffered a series of hydrological extremes such as droughts and floods.
“Needless to say the mentioned extremes do affect the country’s economy, the livelihoods of people and the country’s biodiversity quite negatively.”
According to Mutorwa the government therefore asked for support from the agency’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP), after the flooding in the northern and north-eastern parts of the country in 2011, to assist with strengthening the water sector.
According to him IHP directly addresses critical areas such as water research, water resources management and education and capacity building.
Mutorwa further explained that the water project will be implemented by the government through the agricultural ministry and the University of Namibia and Namibia University of Science and Technology. The two universities will be involved in education, training and capacity building.
Furthermore the ministry of Mines and Energy and its geological survey directorate will be involved in the ground water component of the project.
The Office of the Prime Minister through the directorate of disaster risk management will be involved in the flood and drought risk management plans and mitigation measures.
He further said that the overall project development will be supervised by a scientific advisory board still to be established.

ELLANIE SMIT