Niël Terblanché
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, called for stronger regional cooperation and unity in managing the Zambezi River Basin.
She made the call during the 12th Council of Ministers Meeting of the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) held in Windhoek on Thursday.
Zaamwani welcomed ministers and delegates from Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to Namibia’s capital.
She thanked them for their commitment to working together on transboundary water governance.
She described this cooperation as “not optional—it is essential,” pointing to the shared nature of Namibia’s perennial rivers and the country’s position as the driest in sub-Saharan Africa.
“The Zambezi River Basin, with its richness in water, land, forest, and biodiversity, remains vital to the livelihoods of our people, particularly in the north-eastern regions,” she said.
The basin supports agriculture, tourism, and water supply for rural communities across eight riparian states.
Zaamwani highlighted Namibia’s achievements as the ZAMCOM Chair, including progress in strengthening the Secretariat’s capacity and securing funding for the Zambezi Region Nature, People, and Climate Investment Plan.
The Strategic Climate Fund Trust Fund Committee endorsed the plan in February.
It has attracted US$703 million in support from the CIF, African Development Bank, and World Bank and is set to run over five years.
The African values of ubuntu, which mean “I am, because you are,” inspired a united approach that led to the achievement of this milestone, according to Zaamwani.
The funding will support better water governance, law enforcement, community engagement, emergency response, and regional cooperation, all aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
She urged ZAMCOM member states to respect the principles of prior notification, cooperative planning, and fair benefit-sharing.
“It is vital that no member state undertakes water resource development projects in isolation or without adequate consultation and consensus with fellow riparian states,” she said.
She added that the obligation not to cause harm must guide all actions within the basin.
Zaamwani also appealed to Malawi to ratify the ZAMCOM Agreement. She said full participation would bring benefits in infrastructure development, climate resilience, and data sharing.
“We are all hopeful that Malawi will soon join us fully at the table. We trust in the spirit of ‘Leaving No One Behind’,” she said.
Zaamwani called for a shift from planning to action. She stressed the need to accelerate projects that address local needs, including water and food security and climate adaptation.
“Let us accelerate action on our shared programmes to ensure no community is left behind,” she said.
