New water plan for water equity

The recently launched Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plan will enable the country to achieve sustainable water resource management, contributing to social equity, economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of future development.
Following a stakeholder’s workshop to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the management of the country’s water resources held in Windhoek in 2006, the plan was approved by cabinet for implementation on 19 June 2012 and was recently launched by Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Hon John Mutorwa.
According to Mutorwa, the Integrated Water Resources Management Plan is of national, regional and continental interest and will contribute significantly towards the National Development Goals of Vision 2030, as well as the Southern Africa Water Vision 2000 and Africa Water Vision 2025. “Hence the implementation, monitoring and evaluation will also require cooperation, dedication and commitment from all stakeholders’ at all relevant levels,” the minister reiterated.
Mutorwa underscored the challenges faced by Namibia in terms of water resources, saying that these challenges can only be addressed through efficient water resource management by developing an appropriate legislative and institutional framework and also by providing infrastructure that will ensure water security. “All these must be done in line with existing government policies and strategies for environmental protection, poverty reduction and improving people’s quality of life and contributing towards the realization of Vision 2030,” he said.
A regional stakeholder’s consultation workshop is scheduled for January to March 2013 where a communication strategy will be drafted to convey the plan to all relevant stakeholders. The plan will be made available through the internet and in print so that it is widely available to the public.