Schlettwein visits water projects in Angola

Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein visited Angola yesterday to visit water projects aimed to alleviate water supply challenges experienced in the Cunene Province as a result of the prolonged droughts.He headed a delegation from Namibia to visit water projects commissioned by Angola in 2019.Namibia shares the Kunene River with Angola.According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Jona Musheko, Namibia’s water use rights from the Kunene are provided for in six border and water-use agreements that were concluded between 1886 and 1991 between the two countries."The first four agreements were agreed to between the colonial powers governing the two states during that time, but have been ratified in 1990 by the two independent countries."TeamworkMusheko said that these agreements, together with the revised SADC protocol on shared watercourses of 2000, are being used in all arrangements for water-related matters on the Kunene River between Angola and Namibia.He said that in addition to the familiarisation visit to the project sites, Schlettwein will also sign an agreement on the Interim Joint Operational Rules for the Calueque Scheme at the Calueque Village.The Calueque Scheme, located on the Cunene River, is situated approximately 30 kilometres upstream from Ruacana Falls and 14 kilometres north of the border between Angola and Namibia."The purpose of the Calueque Scheme, as described in the 1969 agreement, is to assist with the regulation of the flow of the Cunene River in accordance with the requirements of the power station to be built at Ruacana."It is also for the pumping of an agreed volume of 6m3/s water from the Cunene River to supply water for human and animal requirements in Namibia, as well as for initial irrigation in Northern Namibia.Mutually beneficialMusheko said that once signed, the Interim Joint Operational Rules will provide a framework for the establishment of the joint operation of the Calueque scheme as provided for in the water-use agreement signed by the two countries.It will also strengthen the cooperation between the two countries through the Permanent Joint Technical Committee (PJTC) tasked with the transboundary cooperation on the Cunene River Basin.According to him, Angola and Namibia have been working on the Calueque Scheme, such as the rehabilitation of the Calueque Dam and pipeline to Mahenene; the installation of a permanent pump station at the Calueque Dam; and the rehabilitation of the canal from Mahenene to the Olushandja Dam. All of this is aimed at improving the water supply to the populations of both countries.

Schlettwein visits water projects in Angola

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-15

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Schlettwein visits water projects in Angola

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-15

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