The World Bank has approved four credits from the International Development Association totaling more than USD 140 million to support various development projects in Mozambique including improving water supply.
Mr Olivier Godron acting country director for Mozambique said that the Board of Executive Directors approved four International Development Association credits totaling USD 143 million in support of development projects in Mozambique.
The funding will be utilized in the implementation of the projects of Health Commodity Security Project (USD 39 million), Spatial Development Planning Technical Assistance Project (USD 20 million) and an additional financing for the Water Services and Institutional Support Project (USD 34 million) as well as a second financing for the Maputo Municipal Development Program (USD 50 million).
Mr Godron, who is also Acting Country Director for Angola, São Tome and Príncipe, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, said that "I am pleased to witness the approval of these credits; two of which are additional resources to scale up, expand, and broaden the scope and activities of ongoing IDA financing in water and Maputo municipal development, which attests of IDA's commitment to the country's long term development goals."
He added that "The two other financing, namely for spatial development and health sector, propose to tackle new challenges such as supporting the government of Mozambique improve its spatial planning capacities, through better coordination of existing and planned investments to avoid the risks of negative competition for resources, misuse and/or under use of limited infrastructure resources and services. Our support for the health sector will tackle important bottlenecks, especially the system of acquisition and distribution of drugs and other medical supplies country wide."
According to the World Bank, the financing will specifically support Mozambique with the additional Financing for the Water Services and Institutional Support, a project which will seek to increase water service coverage in the cities of Beira, Nampula, Quelimane and Pemba under a delegated management framework in place.
The fund will help to strengthen capacity of local operators as well as support investments such as the construction of approximately 355 kilometers of road network and 25,150 new connections in 11 of the country's largest cities; the construction of approximately 60 kilometers of road network and 5,000 new connections in two smaller cities; and institutional strengthening for the various water sector and regulatory institutions.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)
