Project History and Background
The Government of Swaziland, Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, Department of Water Affairs intends to assess the feasibility for the construction of a multipurpose dam, whose main objective is to store water in order to provide potable water to the two growing cities of Mbabane and Manzini. In the meantime, the stored water could also be used for irrigation and for improving the output of runoff the river hydropower plants further downstream.

Background: The Orange-Senqu River Basin originates in the highlands of Lesotho and runs for over 2300 km to its mouth on the Atlantic Ocean in Namibia/South Africa. The river system is one of the largest river basins in Africa with a total catchment area of about 1.0 million km2 and encompasses all of the Lesotho, a significant portion of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The basin is of major economic importance to South Africa contributing 26% to South Africa’s GDP.

Background: The development agenda of the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is articulated in the National Vision 2030 and the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP - 2017-2021) which prioritize water and sanitation among the key sectors for economic growth. Accordingly, Government is implementing the National Urban and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program as a road map to improve access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services for Urban, Peri-urban and Rural dwellers in Zambia, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

September 2009 – The Executive Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) received a € 1,4 million grant to improve the management of water resources and environmental protection by building capacity to plan and implement regional water policy within Central Africa. The project entails building the capacities of the Regional Centre for Water Resources Coordination and Management (CRCGRE) of ECCAS, improve the water information system, and prepare a regional IWRM action plan to support the IWRM process in the member countries.

Photo courtesy of Nasa

December 2006 -The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) received a €487,000 grant to finance the GEO-AQUIFER knowledge improvement and the Northern Sahara Aquifer System (SASS) Project. The project seeks to establish an information and knowledge base to support sustainable transboundary management of underground water resources of the northern Sahara aquifer at national and infra-regional levels.

May 2007 - The International Commission for the Congo-Ubangi-Sangha Basin (CICOS) received a € 455,000 grant to reinforce its capacity to collect and manage hydrologic data and information as well as well to enhance Congo Basin water resources knowledge.

May 2007 - The International Commission for the Congo-Ubangi-Sangha Basin (CICOS) has received a €1.9 million grant to prepare a strategic action plan for the integrated water resources management of the Congo River Basin.

October 2012- The ONG PROTOS has received a € 1 million grant to finance the development of an institutional framework for the decentralization of water supply, sanitation, hygiene services in the Atacora-Donga region. This project includes capacity building of communes and the private sector and technical assistance offered to municipalities. The project is expected to help improves water supply, sanitation, hygiene services in the targeted region, and improve people’s health and living conditions.

December 2009 - the Executive Secretariat of the Sahara-Sahel Observatory (OSS) received a €1.2 million grant to finance the integrated and concerted water resources management of the aquifer systems of Iullemeden, Taoudeni/Tanezrouft and the Niger River.  The objective of the project is to significantly improve the concerted and sustainable management of water resources of transboundary aquifer systems and the Niger River, thereby improving the living conditions and access to water by the 25 million inhabitants living in the project area.

Photo courtesy of Nasa

March 2006 - The Volta Basin Technical Committee (VBTC) received a €165,000 grant through an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulics and Fisheries in Burkina Faso - for the creation of the Volta Basin Authority. This is the first project ever to be funded by the AWF. It is aimed at establishing an agreement for the creation of the Volta Basin Authority to ensure joint rational and judicious use of the water resources amongst riparian countries, foster transboundary cooperation and benefit sharing.

Photo courtesy of Nasa