– Namibian/Angolan Joint Scheme Takes Shape By Chrispin Inambao ONDANGWA NamWater and its Angolan counterparts held talks over the weekend to scrutinize accords that would enhance water supply between northern Namibia and southern Angola. This project is part of the Kunene Trans-Boundary Water Project, funded in part by the KfW, a German development agency. The two-day meeting was held at Ondangwa over the weekend under the aegis of the Task Force Calueque Committee, which comprises five Namibians led by Dr Kuiri Tjipangandjara, NamWater’s General Manager Engineering and Scientific Services. Senior officials from the two neighbouring countries jointly chair this committee that is among the four that fall under the Permanent Joint Technical Committee on Kunene, which oversees all developments in and around the Kunene River Basin. KfW, a German development agency that offers low-interest loans for development projects, is giving a grant to cover a portion of the N$174 million costs, while the two countries will fund the remainder. A consultancy or project manager to oversee various contractors, who will construct numerous components at the multi-lateral project, will soon be recruited and August/September should see the implementation of the multifaceted scheme. The project entails the upgrading of water pumps at a huge reservoir at Oshakati that provides water to north-central Namibia and to parts of southern Angola in the Cunene province, under the already existing Cuvelai Water Scheme constructed before independence. Under this scheme the densely populated four northern regions of Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto receive the bulk of their water from Calueque Dam on the Kunene River in Angola, that is pumped into Olushandjo – the main reservoir – from where it is funneled to several conventional purification plants and thereafter piped to consumers. Some Angolans along the border also benefit. Tjipangandjara said the multi-lateral project comprises upgrading the water pump at Calueque, in particular the refurbishment of the electrical and mechanical equipment at the facility that is partially war-damaged. The two countries will also construct a bulk water supply connection in order to allow for the future treatment and the distribution of safe water to Calueque village, and they will also rehabilitate the existing canal so that unstructured irrigation off-takes supplying water to thousands of Angolans could be “formalized” along the open canal. Because of these existing off-takes, NamWater is in a freeloader dilemma incurring significant water losses as a result of Angolans diverting water through numerous thick pipes dipped into the 154-km open Calueque-Oshakati Canal. This project would see the upgrading of the Oshakati-Oshikango (Namibia) pipeline, while the Angolans have already built the 42 km St Clara-Ondjiva pipeline that passes through Namakunde. Human aspect The engineer says the project, which enjoys “high-level support” of the two presidents, will also spawn other developmental spin-offs and that it should not only be seen from an aspect of the concrete and the machinery to be installed, but rather from a human aspect. “When there is no water, forget about development,” he explained. “We are confident, if we implement this project successfully, it will be good for both countries,” enthused the senior NamWater official who chaired Friday and Saturday’s bilateral meetings. Another interesting aspect of this scheme is that it would serve as a pilot scheme for other trans-boundary water projects planned elsewhere on the African continent.