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The country will on June 4 and 5 host the Water Resources Infrastructure Investment Conference as part of the Government’s bid to mobilise resources for the accelerated development of the country’s water infrastructure.

The conference, billed to be held in Harare, will run under the theme Unlocking Water Resources Potential for Economic growth and is set to attract an array of investors from within and beyond the country.

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate hosts the conference which will also draw attendance from other Government Ministries such as the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development as well as institutions such as the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe.

The conference was mooted to try and rope the private sector in the development of Zimbabwe’s water resources infrastructure in light of the development gaps that exist.

Over the years, Government has been major, if not the sole sponsor of water infrastructure projects with the private sector coming in largely as contractors.

Highlights of the conference will include an address by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who will officially open the event while other high level speakers drawn from Government, private sector and development partners will make presentations.

The conference is in line with the current Government mantra that the country is open for investment. The conference therefore presents a unique opportunity for organisations and individuals willing to invest in the water sector to get a highlight of the vast opportunities abound in the water sector.

The opportunities related to the construction of in excess of 40 dams and mini-hydro power plants across the country. The projects are worth hundreds of millions of dollars and offer great opportunities for those interested in investing in the water sector.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) which is the Government engineer on water infrastructure construction projects has already done the designs and other relevant technical work for the commencement of the construction of the dams which will be showcased during the conference while teams of engineering and water resources management experts has also been put in place to give detailed presentations for each project to investors.

With the country already feeling the effects of climate change as evidenced by unpredictable rain fall patterns, development of water infrastructure therefore becomes a very high priority.

The implementation of the over 40 projects is therefore sure to help the country beat the effects of climate, address domestic water supplies for major towns and cities as well as the enhancement of the country’s irrigation capacity.

The mini-hydro plants will also help address some of the power challenges that the country is currently facing. All these benefits are ample evidence of the critical nexus between water resources management, economic development and the smooth provision of social services.

Companies and individuals wishing to attend this conference should therefore contact the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate or the Zinwa expressing their interest to be part of this event, which promises to be a serious game changer for water resources development and the country’s socio-economic turnaround.

This can be done through calling Zinwa or by visiting the Zinwa website where more details of the conference can be accessed.

For more information you can contact the Zinwa Corporate Communications and Marketing Department on [email protected] or visit www.zinwa.co.zw You can also like the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Facebook Page or follow us on Twitter @zinwawater