Maseru, Feb. 11 — The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) has approved US$1.83 million (M29,067,482.10) to support preparatory work for the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Project, a major regional initiative aimed at addressing water scarcity and strengthening resilience in Southern Africa.
According to statement from SADC, the funding will cover an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed dam and water infrastructure, as well as a comprehensive feasibility study focusing on financial, legal and institutional frameworks.
It states that the over 700km project will transfer water from Lesotho through South Africa to Botswana, helping meet Botswana’s water needs while promises far-reaching benefits for Lesotho, South Africa and the wider SADC region boosting economic growth, emhancing climate resilience and improving energy and food security.
The PPDF is part of the SADC and German cooperation framework funded by the German government and jointly implemented by KfW and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). This collaboration underscores the importance of international partnerships in driving sustainable infrastructure development and regional integration.
SADC’s investment into the preparatory studies, lays the groundwork for a transforrmative project that will secure water, energy and food systems for future generations, a milestone in regional cooperation and sustainable resource management.
Meanwhile, the project will transfer 150 million cubic meters of water from the Makhaleng River, a tributary of the Senqu River while also supplying 158 million cubic meters to Lesotho and South Africa.
The project is also expected to involve the construction of a retention dam on the Makhaleng River and installation of a hydropower facility with the capacity to generate 45 MW of electricity.
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