Grant for Okavango delta

THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a grant agreement for collaboration on improving the management of shared river basins in the region.

The grant has an estimated value of US$6,5 million (N$40,3 million). The agreement was signed between SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Augusto Salomao and Lloyd Pierson, the USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa, on Thursday at the end of the SADC Consultative Conference held in Windhoek.The agreement will provide a framework for co-ordination in the water sector, which includes the permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission to improve management of the Okavango Basin and protect animal and plant life.The framework will also outline how the two parties will engage other international partners to achieve mutual objectives through training and technical support.Besides environmental protection, the agreement also aims to tackle the critical issue of poverty alleviation in the region.Pierson said the development and management of water resources in Africa was one of the priorities of his organisation.”As a part of this priority, the management of the Okavango River Basin and protection of the Okavango Delta are critical to ensure the future of one of the world’s largest inland deltas.Addressing water resource management and sanitation at community level are important components of shared river basin management and the protection of biodiversity,” he said.The agreement was signed between SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Augusto Salomao and Lloyd Pierson, the USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa, on Thursday at the end of the SADC Consultative Conference held in Windhoek.The agreement will provide a framework for co-ordination in the water sector, which includes the permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission to improve management of the Okavango Basin and protect animal and plant life.The framework will also outline how the two parties will engage other international partners to achieve mutual objectives through training and technical support.Besides environmental protection, the agreement also aims to tackle the critical issue of poverty alleviation in the region.Pierson said the development and management of water resources in Africa was one of the priorities of his organisation.”As a part of this priority, the management of the Okavango River Basin and protection of the Okavango Delta are critical to ensure the future of one of the world’s largest inland deltas.Addressing water resource management and sanitation at community level are important components of shared river basin management and the protection of biodiversity,” he said.