New York:President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced Namibia's commitment to increasing its bulk water infrastructure capacity from 1.608 billion cubic meters to 2.1 billion cubic meters by the year 2030.
According to Namibia Press Agency, President Nandi-Ndaitwah made this statement during the High-Level Panel on the Water Investment Programme and Global Cooperation, held alongside the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
She emphasized that water scarcity is a critical development challenge for Namibia, a semi-arid nation where water is vital for households, agriculture, food security, industry, and economic growth. The president noted that climate change is exacerbating pressure on water resources, necessitating stronger cooperation and significant investment in sustainable and resilient water systems.
Namibia's water priorities under the Sixth National Development Plan include diversifying water sources, enhancing water purification, aquifer recharge, improving raw water distribution infrastructure, and expanding seawater desalination efforts. President Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that these ambitions require substantial investment and called for political commitment to be translated into bankable projects and tangible results.
The panel discussion, organized in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership, was co-chaired by President Nandi-Ndaitwah and her Senegalese counterpart, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, along with former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete. The event aimed to mobilize investment and strengthen cooperation in anticipation of the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah also highlighted that Africa's water challenges stem not only from scarcity but also from under-investment in infrastructure, institutional capacity, and implementation. She identified key priorities such as accelerating Africa's water investment pipeline, addressing project preparation challenges, and de-risking to deliver meaningful outcomes from the 2026 UN Water Conference.
An estimated US$10 billion to US$12 billion pipeline is being developed from the Africa Water Investment Summit, which should be converted into fundable and implementable projects. According to the Investments for Africa Progress Report 2021-2026, Africa aims to mobilize US$30 billion annually by 2030 to tackle water challenges across the continent.