Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Mrs Edna Molewa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the South African government with the Government of the kingdom of the Netherlands to facilitate cooperation in the field of water resources.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today 21 November 2013 by Minister Molewa and her Dutch counterpart Minister for the Environment, Wilma Mansveld.
The MoU is aimed at establishing a framework for cooperation between the two governments on the basis of sustainable development addressing various themes in the field of water. The signing of the agreement takes place during the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) in Poland where both ministers are in attendance.
The Netherlands currently contributes an estimated sixty million Euros (EUR 60 million) for water projects in South Africa and in total these projects generate approximately one hundred and eighty million (EUR 180 million) in investments in the water sector.
It is expected that the Netherlands will maintain its focus on the water sector in South Africa in the coming years with the aim of increasing its scope. In addition to this investment the Dutch government has also demonstrated its firm commitment to international efforts to ensure water availability and provide protection against flooding.
The MoU will ensure cooperation on all aspects related to water resources management, including:
- Water safety, flood protection and integrated water resources management;
- Water for food and ecosystems;
- Water supply and sanitation;
- Water and climate;
- Efficient and fair trans-boundary water management;
- Water governance;
- Capacity building, organisational and institutional development; and
- Other areas within this context jointly consented upon by the Parties.
The Minister hailed the MoU, saying it will be an overarching framework underpinning the strong ties that are already existing between the two countries’ water sectors through waterboards, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), water companies and agencies, municipalities, knowledge institutions and businesses.
