The Government of Tanzania will launch a USD 20 billion national Water Investment Programme (TanWIP) in 2023.
The Programme’s goal is to enhance water security in Tanzania through the mobilisation of resources for strategic investments, fostering multisectoral collaboration, and promoting sustainable water management practices, all in alignment with the SDG targets and Tanzania's long-term development goals.
The Programme will invest USD 20 billion in Tanzania’s water sector from 2023 to 2030, translating to about USD 3 billion annually. According to the Government, TanWIP will leverage technical and financial contributions from both the public sector and its partners.
“The programme is structured in four investment Focus Areas:
The investment focus areas have 10 Components and 33 Priority Intervention Areas,” explained Eng. Nadhifa Kemikimba, the Permanent Secretary in Tanzania’s Ministry of Water.
Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, is expected to officially launch the Water Investment Programme at an event that will coincide with the 2023 Donors and Investors Conference, where organisations will be provided with information on water investment opportunities from the TanWIP and express their interest in areas that they would like to invest in.
The TanWIP is being developed with technical support from Global Water Partnership Tanzania & Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA-Africa) which hosts the Secretariat of the Continental African Water Investment Programme (AIP), an African Union (AU) initiative which seeks to narrow the investment gap towards achieving SDG6.
Over 300 million Africans do not have access to clean drinking water and over 700 million live without access to good sanitation. According to the African Development Bank, the African population will reach 1.6 billion and the continent will need to produce at least 50% more food by 2030. Approximately USD 50 billion annually, or USD 40 per African per year is required, to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa by 2030. Currently, only USD 10 – USD 19 billion is invested each year.
“The High-Level Panel on Water Investments in Africa has demonstrated in its landmark report, Africa’s Rising Investment Tide, that achieving water security and sustainable sanitation for all in Africa is possible by 2030 and is within the power of African leaders. It is commendable that more and more African states are developing their own Water Investment Programmes,” explained Mr. Alex Simalabwi, Executive Secretary - GWPSA.
The Panel’s report outlines three pathways to secure an additional USD 30 billion annually to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa by 2030 on the continent:
The Panel proposes a 5-point Action Plan for Heads of State and governments, businesses, and global leaders, to support the implementation of the three actionable pathways.
“Among others, the High-Level Panel’s report advises that governments should increase public budgets and investments for water security; track progress and enhance mutual accountability for results in the mobilisation of water investments; mobilise new sources of funding and innovative finance; strengthen institutional regulation for water investments & use Official Development Assistance (ODA) to de-risk water investments,” said Mr. Simalabwi.
Zambia & Zanzibar have already launched their Water Investment Programmes, and Botswana is in the process of developing its own.
The President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, formally launched the Zanzibar Water Investment Programme on 11 March 2022. The Programme will mobilise over USD 665.5 million between 2022-2027 towards securing clean and sustainable water supply for the island’s population and fast-growing economy.
President H.E. Hakainde Hichilema launched the USD 5.75 billion Zambia Water Investment Programme on 16 July 2022, during the African Union 4th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of Heads of State and Government in Lusaka, in partnership with the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa.