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Access to adequate safe water continues to be a problem
for at least 2 billion people, mostly in the developing
world. Despite the agreements on policy regarding access
to clean drinking water and basic sanitation reached at
the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg many plans and programmes approved by world
leaders have not yet been implemented. In fact, a recent
UN report states that the situation is getting worse,
with about two billion people still deprived of these
basic requirements.
Recently, in a message marking World Environment Day
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan warned
against the “worrying” state of the planet, with water
shortages likely to affect almost half of the world
population within the next 20 years. In Mozambique 36%
of the estimated 17 million Mozambicans live in the
rural areas and 70% of them are deprived of clean
drinking water, while 32% of those in urban areas are
similarly deprived. In urban areas rainwater creates
serious sanitation problems because of the poor state of
the drainage system, leading to conditions conducive to
the spread of many diseases. During the dry season there
are serious water shortages due to vandalism and ageing,
leaky pipe systems resulting in considerable loss of
water on the streets. Water sources in rural areas often
run dry during the dry season.
In an effort to address environmental issues, including
concerns around water, the environment ministers of the
African Union (AU) member countries will hold a special
meeting in Maputo to approve an Environment Initiative
Action Plan to be submitted at the July AU summit in
Maputo. The plan proposes an integrated regional
programme of activities at national level to achieve
sustainable management of each country’s natural
resources. In this context, Mozambique should focus on,
and benefit from, actions for sustainable management of
its river basins, and its marine and coastal resources
amongst other things. A proposal for the rehabilitation
of the port at Nacala put forward by the Nacala Corridor
Development Society (SDCN), a consortium of Mozambican
companies, has received a grant of 30 million US dollars
from the United States-based International Cooperation
for Projects Abroad.
Mozambique has also signed two loan and grant agreements
worth US $30 million with the African Development Bank (ADB)
to finance urban water supply and sanitation programmes.
The project aims to improve the access, quality and
sustainability of water supply and sanitation services
in low-income urban areas. It would include training
programmes on sanitation, environment, solid waste
management, HIV/AIDS and malaria. The project hopes to
increase water supply coverage from 37% to 65%, and
reduce waterborne diseases by 2007. Access to safe water
would reduce the time spent collecting water, allowing
women more time for income-generating activities, and
children, particularly girls, more time for school. The
government of Mozambique wants to spread the message
among the people that their participation is essential
for effective management of water resources. |
