About $1.04 billion has been earmarked to help in the implementation of the Songwe River Basin Development Programme (SRBDP) initiative between Malawi and Tanzania.
The initiative, which aims at addressing the challenges within Songwe River, started in the 1970s by the two countries.
In an interview, Minister of Water Abida Mia said the SRBDP is part of the Sadc Regional Strategic Action Plan aimed at fostering cooperation and equitable sharing of benefits
She said the project will enhance basin protection, livelihoods and integrated water resources.
“The objective of the project is to contribute to economic growth, reduced poverty, improved health and livelihood while reducing the socio-economic impacts of the meandering river on the communities living within the flood plain,” Mia said.
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Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola, who is also part of the Council of Ministers, said the main component of the SRBDP is the construction of a 180 megawatt hydropower plant at Songwe Dam that will be shared equally between the two nations.
He said they will also construct 6,200 hectares of irrigation, out of which 3,050 hectares will be for Malawi and 3,150 hectares for Tanzania.
“Among other initiatives, the project will also include roads, schools, and construction of fish farms along the river and development of tourism around the Malawian and Tanzanian communities in the area. We believe this will be a game changer as far as electricity is concerned in Malawi,” Matola said.
During President Lazarus Chakwera’s visit to the United Republic of Tanzania in April 2020, an agreement was made with the former head of State, the late John Magufuli, to start implementation of the Lower Songwe Dam and Hydropower Plant project using government funds.
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The sources for financing the projects under SRBDP have been grouped into three areas, public sector/donors, private sector and innovative sources such as climate financiers
