Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa water, Sanitation May-June2015 Vol. 10 No.3 | Page 4

NEWS in brief
Botswana
New Plant to Address Maun Water Crisis
Maun — Water
shortage in some
areas around Maun
will come to an end
as funds have been
sourced to build a
new treatment plant
by the end of this
Flooding in Angola’s capital of Luanda
financial year.
Addressing Maun Administrative Authority meeting,
the chairperson, Mr Gaokgakala Letswee said Sedie area
was still experiencing inadequate water supply due to the
malfunctioning dilapidated Wenela water treatment plant.
He said funds had been sourced to abate the Shorobe water
shortage by drilling boreholes while procurement of the
drilling works is ongoing. Mr Letswee said the Borolong
treatment plant has of late had to contend with above
normal levels of organics in the Thamalakane River.
This, he added, had affected the ability of the treatment
plant to remove the organics hence the apparent colour in
the treated water.
However, the chairperson informed the house that to
safeguard the safety of treated water, further disinfection
was introduced at both treatment facilities and service
reservoirs. In addition, he said the frequency of sampling
was also increased to ensure compliance.
He said the level of the organics had reduced the flow of
the river hence the production rate was gradually being
increased to its original state.

Cote d’Ivoire
Signature of a Loan Agreement in the Republic of Cote
d’Ivoire
The
Loan
Agreement
was signed on
behalf of the
Republic
of
Cote d’Ivoire
by H.E. Kaba
Niale Ministre
Auprès
du
Photo: Kuwait Fund
P r e m i e r
Ministre Chargé de L’Economie et des Finances and Mr.
Thamer Al-Failakawi, Regional Manager for West African
countries .

Around Africa

A Loan Agreement was signed recently in Abidjan between
the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and Kuwait Fund for Arab
Economic Development, whereby the Fund shall make a
Loan of Kuwaiti Dinars Seven Million (KD 7,000,000) (i.e.
about US$ 24.5 million) to help finance the Potable Water
Supply in the Eastern Region Project (Adzope SystemPhase I) in the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire “the Project”.
The Loan Agreement was signed on behalf of the Republic
of Cote d’Ivoire by H.E. Kaba Niale Ministre Auprs du
Premier Ministre Charg de L’Economie et des Finances and
on behalf of the Fund by Mr. Hamad Al-Omar, Deputy
Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic
Development. Mr. Thamer Al-Failakawi, Regional
Manager for West African countries at the Fund attended
the signing ceremony of the Loan Agreement.
The project aims at supporting socio-economic
development in the Eastern Region of Cote D’Ivoire
through meeting the potable water demand in Adzope,
Abradine 1, Abdradine 2, Assie-Orie, Yakasse Attobrou,
Biasso, Fiasse, Diangobo, and Kong 2 cities with a
population totaling approximately 92,000 capita about
60% of whom are unserved and about half of whom are
children. Most and foremost, the project is considered a
Rights Based Project seeking to achieve the right to “Access
to Clean Drinking Water”, which is a fundamental human
rights.

Liberia
Nine Million Drinking Water Imported Annually
Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has
expressed disappointment over Liberia’s
decision to import US$9,947,000 drinking
water annually.
He said Liberia has abundance of water
everywhere. Ambassador Boakai also said
US$14,972,991 was used on the importation
of meat products before the Ebola outbreak,
while US$18,529,662 was also used on the importation of
tree products.
He said it is shameful for Liberia that has more than 40
percent of forest in the Upper Guinea region to rely on
importation.
The Vice President spoke Tuesday at the launch of the
National Technical Vocational Education and Training
(TVET) five-year operational plan.
Boakai said TVET policy addresses issues in the
manufacturing sector; as such, it is important for
government to get people to work through the provision
of demand-driven skills.
Ambassador Boakai stressed the need for steps to be taken
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • May - June 2015

3