Harare, (New Ziana) – The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has been urged to confront the escalating energy and water challenges threatening the future of the region, as the bloc grapples with a triple crisis of climate change, rapid population growth, and increasing demand for essential resources.
Addressing the opening session of the 43rd SADC Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Energy and Ministers Responsible for Water in Harare, permanent secretary for Energy and Power Development, Dr Gloria Magombo, urged member states to unite in confronting these shared challenges.
The high-level meeting marks a pivotal moment for energy and water sectors in SADC, bringing together senior government officials, secretaries, and regional experts in a hybrid format.
“Water and Energy are not merely a resource and a service; these are the very lifeblood of our economies. This joint meeting is a clarion call to action, a rallying point for a united Southern Africa,” said Dr Magombo.
She noted that Southern Africa is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related shocks, including more frequent droughts and floods, with profound implications for both sectors.
The ongoing decline in hydropower output from the Kariba Dam, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, is a stark reminder of what is at stake, she said. “Kariba has seen hydropower generation dropping to below 25 percent at some point,” she said, linking water management to economic resilience and national development.
“We cannot ignore the role of dam construction and infrastructure planning in mitigating these effects.”
Zimbabwe’s geographic location, she noted, positions it as a strategic hub for regional energy collaboration, particularly in the transportation and storage of fuel.
“Our pipeline from Beira and national storage facilities are not just national assets—they are regional lifelines,” she said.
She praised ongoing regional partnerships such as the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the SADC-Border WASH and Chirundu cross-border water supply projects, highlighting the benefits of transboundary collaboration.
Dr. Magombo took the opportunity to announce that Zimbabwe is preparing to host the second SADC Sustainable Energy Week next year, in partnership with SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), as part of its commitment to promoting clean energy and economic diversification.
Referencing Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals 6 and 7 on water and energy access, Dr. Magombo urged member states to remain accountable to their citizens.
“It is our profound responsibility to ensure that every citizen has access to life’s most essential and fundamental resources—clean energy, clean water, and dignified sanitation,” she said.
She also underscored the importance of integrating the Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) nexus in regional planning, calling the current meeting a testament to that vision.
Over the coming days, senior officials will deliberate on a packed agenda, with key discussions expected on regional preparedness for Mission 300 (a regional initiative focused on increasing electricity access to at least 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030), the Smart and Clean Cooking Initiative (the drive to transitioning away from traditional, polluting cooking methods towards more efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives).
Officials will also deliberate on the Grand Inga Hydropower Project in the DRC (a massive undertaking to construct a series of dams and hydroelectric power stations designed to be the world’s largest hydropower facility, with a potential capacity of 40 000 to 45 000 megawatts, and the Congo Basin Water Transfer (proposals to divert water from the Congo River basin to the Lake Chad region primarily aimed at addressing the shrinking of Lake Chad, which has been a major environmental concern for decades).
Delegates will also review the Revised Regional Water Policy ahead of Ministerial engagements scheduled for July 4.
New Ziana
