Acomprehensive climate resilience and sustainable development framework for the Zambezi River Basin has attracted an investment package amounting to USD 703 million, jointly secured from the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Climate Investment Funds. This strategic initiative aims to strengthen the environmental, social, and economic resilience of the basin, which is one of Africa’s most vital transboundary watercourses.
Announced on Thursday during the 12th Ordinary Meeting of the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) Council of Ministers in Windhoek, the Namibian capital, the plan was unveiled by Namibia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani. Namibia, currently chairing ZAMCOM, played a pivotal role in convening stakeholders and consolidating support for this high-impact regional agenda.
Zaamwani confirmed the funding allocation, detailing contributions of USD 60 million from the Climate Investment Funds, USD 388 million from the African Development Bank, and USD 255 million from the World Bank. These investments will underpin the five-year “Nature, People and Climate Investment Plan for Africa’s Zambezi River Basin Region”, which received formal endorsement on 28 February 2025.
The Zambezi River Basin, extending across approximately 1.3 million square kilometres and encompassing eight countries—Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—serves as a critical ecological and socio-economic corridor. It supports the livelihoods of nearly one-third of the population residing within these riparian states. This transboundary resource is vital for agriculture, fisheries, energy production, and domestic water supply, underscoring the importance of coordinated management efforts.
ZAMCOM, the intergovernmental body established to oversee cooperative governance of the basin, plays a central role in facilitating dialogue, harmonising water use policies, and enabling joint climate adaptation strategies. The current initiative represents a milestone in its mandate to foster integrated and sustainable utilisation of the Zambezi’s resources.
According to experts, the plan’s focus areas will include enhancing hydrometeorological services, strengthening early warning systems, improving water resource infrastructure, promoting nature-based solutions, and advancing inclusive community development. These interventions are designed to mitigate climate-related risks such as floods and droughts, which are increasingly frequent and severe in the region.
This investment marks a significant achievement in aligning multilateral financial mechanisms with Africa’s environmental and developmental goals. As climate change intensifies the vulnerabilities of water-scarce regions, integrated responses such as the Zambezi plan illustrate the potential for collaborative, science-based solutions to achieve resilience across borders.
