Zambia & DRC To Establish Joint Water Regulatory Body

Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed to establish an agency to manage shared bodies of water, known as the Luapula River Authority.

Mike Mposha, the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, said that consultations on founding the LRA were in advanced stages.

At the Ministry of Information and Media’s weekly media briefing, Mr. Mposha said that all river basins falling in Zambia’s territory are shared with neighbouring nations, a key factor in Zambia’s decision to assent to the UN water convention. He said, “It has two trans-boundary basins, namely the Zambia and Congo basins, which constitute around 75 percent and 25 percent of Zambia’s geographical territorial area respectively”.

Mr. Mposha added that trans-boundary water cooperation plays a “critical role […] in fostering socio-economic development and regional economic integration among riparian states”.

The Minister announced that the government had begun to undertake the significant tasking of establishing 1,350 boreholes by November, a project likely to cost 69 million kwacha. 243,000 Zambians are expected to benefit from the water drawn from these boreholes.

Additionally, procurement plans for the construction of 16 dams have almost reached their conclusion. Dams will begin construction before the end of 2023 in Central Province, Northern Province, Eastern Province, Southern Province and Luapula. 2 small dams in Eastern Province, “namely Kacholola dam in Nyimba district and Kapekesa Dam in Chsefu district”, are likely to be completed “by the fourth quarter of 2023”, he added. Maintenance on currently operational dams is also being arranged.