Today, as Zimbabwe joins the rest of the African Continent in commemorating Africa Day, I extend warm revolutionary greetings and solidarity to all our brothers and sisters within our borders and beyond. This day remains a historic as well as constant reminder of the bravery, courage, unity, and determination of Founding Fathers of the Organisation of African Unity, now African Union. They laid a foundation for a free, united, peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa.
Africa Day is not only a celebration of our liberation, culture, dignity and identity; it is also an opportunity to reflect on our collective journey towards achieving “The Africa We Want,” as envisioned in Agenda 2063.
This year’s theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve Agenda 2063,” is both timely and critical to the future of our continent.
Water is an essential resource and the lifeblood of our continent’s development aspirations. From the mighty Nile River to the Zambezi River, from Lake Kariba and Lake Victoria to the aquifers beneath the Kalahari and Sahara Deserts, water has shaped our civilisations, sustained our peoples. It shall continue to determine our future.
Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is a basic human need for health and well-being. Additionally, water remains a critical ingredient to Africa’s quest for industrialisation, job creation and overall economic growth. Notably, however, water demand is rising owing to rapid population growth, urbanisation, and increasing water needs from agriculture, industry, and the energy sectors.
It is now urgent that the requisite investments be made towards enhancing national and regional availability of water resources. This requires the adoption of innovative solutions, collective responsibility and partnerships at all levels. The active participation of communities, private sector, development partners, research institutions, youth, and women should, therefore, be scaled up.
Innovation, science, and technology must become central pillars that support water harvesting, waste-water recycling, solar-powered water systems, and digital monitoring technologies. These solutions must be supported, scaled up, and adapted to the grassroots levels for the benefit of our communities.
I urge our institutions of higher learning, research centres, and innovators to continue developing home-grown solutions that respond to Africa’s unique challenges. The future of our continent depends on our ability to harness African knowledge, resources, and ingenuity. This is in keeping with our enduring philosophy, ‘African solutions to African problems.’
Zimbabwe remains committed to advancing sustainable infrastructure development, water security, climate resilience, and inclusive economic empowerment through transformative national projects. These include the Chirundu Water Supply and Sanitation Project Phase One, being implemented by ZINWA. The Glassblock Bopoma Dam and Pipeline Project is aimed at improving water supply to Bulawayo City and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, the “Empowering Women-Led Drone Enterprises for Water-Efficient Agriculture and Livelihood Diversification in Zimbabwe” project seeks to ensure the utilisation of advanced drone technologies to promote climate-smart agriculture and women’s economic empowerment. My Administration continues to avail resources to local authorities, to guarantee water availability and safe sanitation for our communites.
These initiatives demonstrate Zimbabwe’s commitment to modernising infrastructure, strengthening water security, promoting innovation and gender inclusion, while driving sustainable socio-economic development.
Fellow Compatriots;
During the African Union Assembly held in February, we adopted the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. This vision imagines an Africa where water basins are recognised as shared natural assets that drive peace, trade, regional integration, and political stability. It envisions a Continent where there is universal access to safely managed water and sanitation services, even in emergency situations.
Regrettably, we are witnessing unprecedented disruptions to our hydrological cycles. Droughts and floods, have increasingly become persistent features in many of our communities.
We must fundamentally shift our paradigm to recognise water as a strategic economic asset. Water is intrinsically linked to food security, energy production, and ecosystem health. Currently, agriculture accounts for 73.4% of Africa’s water withdrawals, yet we utilise only 5% of our irrigation potential.
Similarly, our energy ambitions depend on water security. With only 15 to 30% of Africa’s hydropower potential tapped, we have the opportunity to light up and industrialise our Continent, while creating millions of jobs. The proposed African Single Electricity Market and strategic transboundary water projects under Programme for Infrastructure Developmet in Africa, is a welcome initiative for the realisation of shared prosperity.
Zimbabwe reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Pan-Africanism, solidarity, and the advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
On this important occasion, I call upon all Zimbabweans, especially our youth, to embrace the values of patriotism, loyalty, discipline, hard-honest work, environmental stewardship, and innovation as we build a modern, industrialised, and prosperous Zimbabwe within a united, integrated and prosperous Africa.
Together, as one people and one continent, let us continue marching forward to achieve the aspirations of Agenda 2063. I wish Zimbabwe and the African Continent a Happy Africa Day.
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa.
I thank you.