The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Prince Maele says government has decided to engage with the private sector and civil society in a bid to address the incessant water supply problems.
The water pitso which was held on Monday under the theme “Sustainable interventions to address water losses” sought to partner with the private sector to come up with that would resolve the water problems facing the country.
An expert who specialises in water retention and supply strategies stated that “Botswana needs a water-conscious, water-smart approach to mitigating looming water deficit.” He said the pitso was welcome especially at the time the country finds itself in.
Maele also said the pitso aims to enable a more specific and coherent conversation about what the water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector is asking of the private sector, and what the water sector offers the private sector in return. Maele expressed optimism that through engaging the various stakeholders from the private sector as well as NGO’S, the country would definitely see positive results in the long run.
Over the past few months, several pundits have said there is need for Botswana to transition towards a water-conscious, water smart economy with stronger water governance.
Meanwhile, Botswana secured a US$145.5 million loan from the World Bank for the Emergency Water Security and Efficiency Project to address the aftermaths of the El-Nino that affected the Southern African region last year.
