Staff Reporter
THE Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, has called on the international community to support Namibia and other African countries in funding water infrastructure.
“As we remain active members of this global community, it is my sincere hope that Africa, and Namibia in particular, will not be forgotten on the global stage—whether in terms of funding for water infrastructure through climate finance facilities or in climate change declarations,” he said.
Schlettwein made these remarks at the high-level special session “Our waters, our future: Transboundary water cooperation to power climate resilience”, which took place in Slovenia, Europe.
He emphasised that Namibia shares several water resources with neighbouring countries and has faced challenges due to drought and over-utilisation of shared resources. For this reason, he added, Namibia considers transboundary water cooperation vital.
“This cooperation ensures the sustainable use of water for life and livelihoods, specifically agriculture and food production, urban and rural water supply and sanitation, economic development and ecosystem conservation. As a member of the shared river basin community, Namibia’s aim has always been to foster collaboration, support sustainable development, and secure an equitable share of these essential water resources. However, negotiating water rights can sometimes be difficult, especially when done in the absence of goodwill and under the influence of water scarcity and competition,” Schlettwein said.
He therefore also called for the prioritisation of the water agenda on the global stage, especially at the upcoming 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“With COP29 approaching from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, we, as parties to the Water Convention, must prioritise and elevate the water agenda and the desperate need for funding to mitigate the impact of climate change on the freshwater cycle. The water cycle is where the effects of climate change are most acutely felt, and we must ensure that this critical issue is addressed with urgency,” Schlettwein said.
