WWF Zambia and GIZ Zambia’s Water and Energy Cluster sign a relationship agreement to enhance protection of Zambia’s water resources

Posted on 24 November 2021

LUSAKA 24th November 2021 – World Wide Fund for Nature Zambia (WWF) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Zambia’s Water and Energy Cluster have today signed a relationship agreement.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening cooperation of WWF and GIZ on the protection of Zambia’s natural resources and implementation of green principles. The agreement provides an effective framework for collaboration and addresses the need for stronger multi-stakeholder partnerships across private sector partners, financial institutions, and public companies to enhance environmental protection in Zambia.

The signing ceremony was part of the Lusaka Water Security Water Initiative (LuWSI) CEO Breakfast which brought together industry representatives and the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Hon. Mike Mposha MP, to discuss how Lusaka’s water challenges can be addressed to the benefit of Lusaka’s economy and its citizens. Both, WWF and GIZ through their Natural Resources Stewardship (NatuReS) Zambia project, support LuWSI to protect and enhance water security in Zambia’s capital.

WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Its works focus on climate and energy, wildlife, forests, fresh water, food, youths and education. To ensure healthy freshwater systems exist,
WWF partners with governments, businesses, financial institutions and communities, and has presence in catchments such as the Luangwa river and Lower Kafue River Basin.
GIZ is a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work. In Zambia, the GIZ Water and Energy Cluster is implementing projects on behalf of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as the European Union and other partners. Its projects are focusing on improving sustainable water resources management, climate-smart water use, supporting reforms towards better water supply and sanitation. Additionally, its projects work towards enabling access to renewable energy solutions and enhancing skills development in water and energy as well as building multi-stakeholder partnerships for natural resources stewardship.
The cooperation and collaboration between the parties will be in areas which constitute common interest to the two parties and will be guided by a laid down framework that aligns to the laws of Zambia. The areas of interest will address the sustainable utilization of the planet’s natural resources, and ensuring humans live in harmony with nature through the conservation of biodiversity. Through its Natural Resources Stewardship (NatuReS) programme GIZ and WWF plan to work towards Lusaka’s water security, private sector engagement and project portfolio development for instance to enhance the resilience of cities such as Lusaka. Together with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS) and the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MoGEE) of the Republic of Zambia, GIZ and WWF also support for example the restoration of rivers, e.g. the Magoye River in Southern Province.
The signing of the relationship agreement comes at a time when there is an urgency for increased action towards environmental conservation, as Zambia’s natural assets are threatened with degradation and extinction. This, therefore, brings in a heightened need for collaborations such as these for collective and impactful action.

ENDS

Media Contacts

WWF Zambia
Mildred Zyambo - Communications Officer
Email: mzyambo@wwfzam.org

GIZ (NatuReS Zambia)
Sonile Mutafya – Technical Advisor/Communications
Email: sonile.mutafya@giz.de

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