MAPUTO, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Monday launched the National Water Security Compact 2026-2036 to expand access to clean water and sanitation while strengthening the country's resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.
During the launch ceremony in Maputo, Chapo described water security as a strategic pillar for national development, public health and economic transformation.
According to Chapo, Mozambique currently has national water supply coverage estimated at 62.6 percent, while sanitation coverage stands at about 38.2 percent. Rural sanitation coverage remains particularly low at 24.6 percent.
The president said the country's growing population and increasingly frequent climate-related disasters are putting additional pressure on water infrastructure and resource management systems.
The program aims to mobilize approximately 4.59 billion U.S. dollars to support investments in water supply, sanitation and climate resilience infrastructure, with the goal of increasing national water supply coverage to 75 percent by 2036 while raising sanitation coverage to 60 percent.
The program also includes the construction and rehabilitation of four major dams, 1,000 small reservoirs and dams, more than 300 hydrological monitoring stations, and improved water and sanitation facilities in over 12,000 schools and hundreds of health centers nationwide.
Chapo emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in water resource management, noting that Mozambique shares several river basins with neighboring countries.
"Water should unite peoples, strengthen regional cooperation and promote stability, peace and development in the region," he said. ■
