Phase 2 of the Blue Deal programme between RSA and the Kingdom of the Netherlands officially signed off
The Department of Water and Sanitation alongside the Dutch Water Authorities has officially set wheels in motion for Phase 2 of the Blue Deal Programme which seeks to enhance access to sufficient, clean and safe water for all by 2030 and beyond.
This was done through the signing of a partnership commitment between the two parties during the Blue Deal Conference, which was held in Randburg on Thursday, 24 November 2022.
Held under the theme: “Leadership Deck on successes and learnings to date,” the Conference aimed to support water management worldwide by exchanging knowledge and experiences in the water sector, while expanding its footprint.
Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo expressed appreciation to the Dutch Water Authorities for the collaborative efforts with the department being implemented to ensure water security by 2030 and beyond.
“South Africa welcomes the exchange of views, identification of mutual interests, ensuring involvement of stakeholders and linking up ideas across institutional boundaries through the Programme,” said Deputy Minister Mahlobo.
He further applauded the knowledge exchange between the two parties which is focused on the improvement of water governance, climate resilience and social inclusion.
“I am informed that the Blue Deal South Africa Partnership wants to take the next step in the development of water management, I am impressed that the learning component will bridge and interconnect with water colleagues and other domains to catalyse the change that is rapidly needed,” he said.
Head of Blue Deal Worldwide, Mr Hein Pieper and Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands, Mrs Janneke Vrijland shared Deputy Minister Mahlobo’s sentiments while expressing the need to ensure effective and collaborative implementation of the programme.
“We need to continue working collaboratively for the programme to yield positive results. The Blue Deal Programme is a big deal, and we need to treat it as such,” said Pieper.
The Blue Deal Programme is between the Netherlands Ministries of Foreign Affairs, infrastructure and Water Management and all the Dutch water authorities to support regional and national governments worldwide.
In the South African context, water institutions work together with the Dutch Water Authorities with an aim of specifically contributing to clean and sufficient drinking water.
The Conference was also attended by officials from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA), and the Water Research Commission (WRC).
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