The Deputy Minister in Zanzibar’s Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals, Honourable Shaaban Ali Othman has outlined progress being made in the implementation of the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme (ZanWIP), which was launched in March 2022.
Speaking recently during a reflection meeting on the Investment Programme, launched by the President of Zanzibar H.E. Hassan Mwinyi, Hon. Othman commended the country’s development stakeholders for demonstrating interest in, and supporting the implementation process of Programme, which is tailored towards the country’s Blue Economic Policy.
The Zanzibar Water Investment Programme aims to mobilise over USD665.5million between 2022-2027 towards securing clean and sustainable water supply for the island’s population and fast-growing economy.
Said Hon. Othman; “One would ask what the benefits of ZanWIP are. This programme is being implemented on our island; we are witnessing the implementation of various projects in line with the programme; for instance, we have a project by Exim Bank of India to the tune of US Dollar 92.18 million. We also have a project being funded under the COVID grants where the Zanzibar government is to construct 15 big water tanks, 64 water wells, and develop and maintain pipe network of approximately 485 km.”
Just a month after the launch of ZanWIP, the German Government signed a 660,000 Euros Agreement with the Givernment of Zanzibara feasibility studies in Ground Water assessments. And Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals in Zanzibar, Dr. Mngereza Mzee Miraji stated that the Government has already invested approximately Tsh 230 Billion” or (USD 98.6 million) in the water sector in just one year.
“This ZanWIP programme is also targeting water governance and institutional strengthening and on this, His Excellency the President of Zanzibar has established the Directorate of water resources in the Ministry of Water, Energy, and Minerals. The other aspect of this programme is to make sure there is social inclusion i.e., like the way Sustainable Development Goal 6 is trying to make sure that every citizen has access to safe clean drinking water,” explained Dr. Miraji.
The Global Water Partnership Tanzania has been providing technical support to the Government of Zanzibar in implementation of ZanWIP. The support falls under the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) under which the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa is working together with African Union Development Agency and other partners to narrow Africa’s water investment gap, currently with a shortfall of about UDS30billion a year
“The main goal of the AIP is to mobilize approximately USD30 billion annually towards water investments in Africa to align with the current continental development trajectories in the water sector. The Zanzibar Water Investment Programme has been established under the AIP framework of enhancing investment in the water sector to make sure that people have access to safe and clean water,” said Dr. Victor Kongo, GWP Tanzania Executive Director.
During the meeting, the Ministry also announced the maiden annual Zanzibar Water Scientific Conference that is scheduled to take place on 14th and 15th September 2022.