The promotion of mutual understanding and the transfer of know-how are clearly visible, showcasing the strength and potential of these collaborations. This was highlighted during the Water Operator Partnerships (WOPs) meeting held in Lusaka on November 11, and attended by experts from five Zambian utilities, and eight German utilities as well as representatives from the Zambian Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, the European Union Delegation to Zambia and COMESA, the German Embassy, UNICEF and German Development Cooperation.

 
A director of the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation spoke about the challenges faced by the industry and expressed optimism for positive results through sharing of knowledge and skills. The EU’s Head of Cooperation Mr. Claudio Bacigalupi and the German Embassy’s Deputy Head of Development Cooperation, Ms. Anne Roeske both acknowledged and welcomed the timely nature of the collaboration in the face of climate change.

Three of the WOPs are a component of the Nexus Energy and Water Programme for Zambia (NEWZA) that will facilitate peer-to-peer collaboration between Zambian and German water utilities. The model leverages the expertise of successful German utilities to support Zambian utilities in improving their operational efficiency, enhancing service delivery, and implementing effective wastewater management strategies. NEWZA is part of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy. It is a collaborative effort by multiple stakeholders, funded by the EU, Germany and UNICEF, and implemented by the Water Utilities supported by KfW, GIZ and UNICEF in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, NWASCO, commercial utilities and local ministries and authorities to ensure a coordinated approach to enhance service delivery across various provinces in Zambia.

After the meeting on Monday, all participants travelled to their respective partner operator all over Zambia to implement practical partnership activities. In the case of the German partners from OOWV and Wupperverband they were visiting their new partner operator Chambeshi Water and Sanitation Company for the first time. Thus, this trip not only offered exciting insights into the local Zambian drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, but also inspired approaches for their project work.