Maseru
Lesotho hosted the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) Climate Resilience Investment Conference gathering aimed at enhancing water security and climate resilience across the Orange-Senqu River Basin. Organized by ORASECOM on May 8, the event convened high-level stakeholders from member states—Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa—alongside development partners, financiers, and private sector representatives.
Panel discussions focused on enabling investment frameworks in the water sector, with particular attention to the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Project and the Noordoewer–Vioolsdrif Dam, as well as private sector participation in implementing strategic water stewardship actions.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Mohlomi Moleko, emphasized that the basin’s lifeline is increasingly strained by climate change, droughts, floods, rising demand, and ecosystem degradation. He highlighted the basin’s critical role as the economic backbone of all four member states.
“From food and energy security to mining and manufacturing, the Basin underpins our regional economies. In Lesotho, for example, all national economic activity is situated within the basin,” Moleko noted.
Echoing these sentiments, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Hon. Isaac Sello Seitlholo, stated that South Africa receives hundreds of millions of cubic meters of water annually from the Orange River, which significantly contributes to national water security and socio-economic development.
“This is made possible through the work of the Commission, which goes the extra mile and leverages resources to undertake scientific and engineering studies for better resource management,” Seitlholo said. “These studies include the basin-wide Climate Resilient Strategy and Plan, developed by ORASECOM with support from the African Development Bank.”
Moleko also discussed the Climate Resilient Investment Plan: “We are here to showcase and respond directly to these pressures. This plan is an integrated, basin-wide framework that prioritizes strategic interventions that are bankable, scalable, and designed to build the long-term climate resilience of our people and our economies.”
He added that the presented projects are national, bilateral, and regional in nature—offering a range of financing and partnership opportunities. He concluded by thanking development partners and private investors for their engagement in discussing viable financing models for the proposed projects.
Also in attendance was Her Excellency Dr. Sanji Monageng, High Commissioner of Botswana to South Africa and Lesotho. She addressed the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer (L-BWT) Project, first presented to ORASECOM ministers in March 2011. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver a desktop study was signed in March 2013 by Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa.
“The project not only enhances investment in transboundary water security and climate resilience,” Monageng emphasized, “but it also contributes directly to implementing SADC regional cooperation instruments. For Botswana, the project is especially crucial given our current water situation.”
Mr. Ueritjiua Kauaria, speaking on behalf of Namibia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Hon. Ingenesia “Inge” Zaamwani, reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to intergovernmental cooperation through ORASECOM. He invited regional and international partners to support innovative financing mechanisms to address water scarcity.
“As we look ahead, Namibia stands ready to work with like-minded partners to scale up investment, share knowledge, and deepen regional collaboration under the ORASECOM framework,” Kauaria said. “Together, we can turn resilient water infrastructure into the backbone of sustainable development for the entire Orange-Senqu River Basin.”
