International Investors Glean Through Zimbabwe’s Water Sector Projects

By Wallace Mawire   [caption id="attachment_49250" align="alignleft" width="800"] President Mnangagwa[/caption] Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate has showcased potential water resources infrastructure investment projects to local, regional and international investors at a two day water resources infrastructure investment conference held in Harare on 4 to 5 June, 2018. President Emmerson Mnangagwa told potential investors at the two day conference that the country ranked the second country with most dams in Africa with 10 000 large, medium and small dams. He said that investment opportunities existed in irrigation development for agriculture, portable water supply for the expanding urban and rural settlements, power generation, fisheries industry and the ecotourism sector as well as potential for the export of water to neighbouring countries experiencing water scarcity. Some of the potential water sector investment projects showcased at the conference include existing dams with   mini-hydro potential such as Bangala, Ruti, Manyuchi, Osborne and Mazowe dam, just to mention a few. Other investment potential projects include   the Chitse dam which has potential for irrigation and power generation. Chitse dam is located in Mashonaland central province of the country and has potential for 1000 hectares of irrigable land, a mini-hydro power station including fisheries, eco-tourism and recreational facilities. Gwayi-Umguza dam in Matebeleland North province has opportunities for water supply, irrigation and power generation. “A selection of over 30 projects are being showcased to potential investors and they have been given national project status,” President Mnangagwa told delegates and potential investors.