Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, has revealed that Zambia has so far mobilised US$1.2 billion, out of the targeted US$5.75 billion for the Water Investment Programme.
The programme aims to ensure water security, sustainable sanitation, and climate resilience, supporting national development by the year 2030.
Mrs Nalumango has reiterated Zambia’s commitment to the Water Investment Programme, but notes that an amount of US$3.98 billion is still required.
During her address in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she is attending the Global Governance Summit, the Vice President stated that the shortfall provides an opportunity for investment in the programme from global partners.
“Zambia now calls on the international community to join in securing a water‑resilient future for the nation, the region, and the world,” she said.
Mrs Nalumango underscored the need for reforms to the international financial architecture to unlock blended finance at scale and transition water from being treated as a social good to being recognised as productive capital.
The Vice President stressed that global commitments must translate into measurable improvements on the ground and called for predictable financing, technical support aligned with national systems, and clear accountability mechanisms to track delivery.
Mrs Nalumango further highlighted Zambia’s position ahead of the 2026 United Nations (UN) Water Conference, calling for a shift from fragmented voluntary commitments to a binding global water governance framework.
She emphasised Zambia’s One Government Approach, which integrates water governance across all key sectors and strengthens decentralisation to ensure that solutions are locally driven and climate‑responsive.
Mrs Nalumango also reaffirmed Zambia’s role as an architect of global water governance through the UN Water Convention and emphasised that the country stands ready with the necessary policies, flagship projects, and political will to drive transformative progress.
This is contained in a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka by the Vice President’s Press Aide, Njenje Chizu.
