1.
Introduction
1.1
Purpose and Objectives of the Water Chapter of the RIDMP
The Water Chapter of the RIDMP, among other deliverables, contains a review of the implementation
status, mechanisms for enforcement and monitoring of implementation progress of the approved
SADC Protocols, policies and strategies in the Water Sector, which identifies the infrastructure
implementation challenges and proposes possible solutions that constitute the strategic elements of
the RIDMP. The Water Chapter of the RIDMP also contains a review of the current water sector
infrastructure development situation in the SADC region and its ability to meet the current needs and
those forecasted to 2027 in line with the RSAP III and RISDP objectives.
Consideration has been made of the outcomes of the first SADC Water Infrastructure Investment
Conference held in September 2011 in Maseru, Lesotho, as well as the Energy Investment
Conferences. These reviews enabled the identification of additional infrastructure development
requirements to be addressed in the RIDMP. However, it should be noted here that the SADC
Member States have already identified and prioritised 23 projects (Table 3.1) for implementation.
The Water Chapter of the RIDMP includes an analysis of whether these 23 projects are fully aligned
with the RSAP III and/or the RISDP objectives. In the development of the Water Sector part of the
RIDMP, other water infrastructure projects besides these 23 projects have been identified as part of
the RIDMP. The Water Chapter focuses on identifying the implementation challenges that these 23
and the other identified projects may face and its possible solutions. The 23 projects may also be
viewed as the Water Sector pilot projects for the RIDMP.
A diagnostic study to provide the baseline situation indicating the gaps that needed to be addressed
in the water infrastructure development sector was undertaken. The identified gaps covered
institutional, policy, financing and regulatory frameworks. Gaps and bottlenecks related to the
successful implementation of the 23 selected projects (Table 3.1) were identified and projects to
address the gaps are included in the Water Chapter of the RIDMP.
The Water Chapter of the RIDMP also contains the Vision 2027 Water Sector targets.
1.2
Policy/Legal basis guiding the SADC Water Sector
At regional level, the SADC Water Sector is guided by the following key policy and legal provisions,
which will be discussed in detail in Section 2 below:
The SADC Declaration and Treaty (1992);
The SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2005);
The SADC Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses (2000);
The SADC Regional Water Policy (2006);
The SADC Regional Water Strategy (2007);
The Southern African Vision for Water, Life and the Environment in the 21st Century (2006);
The SADC Regional Awareness and Communication Strategy for the Water Sector (2010);
Climate Change Adaptation in SADC: a Strategy for the Water Sector (2011);
The SADC Regional Strategic Action Plans (1999, 2004 and 2010); and
The SADC Guidelines for Strengthening River Basin Organisations (2010).
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