The President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, launched on Wednesday in Maputo the program for mobilization of about 1.8 billion dollars to finance the expansion of water supply systems in urban areas in the country, with the prospect of bringing drinking water to four million more people in the next 10 years.

In addition to drinking water, the project encompasses sanitation infrastructure that must also be resilient to the effects of climate change. The launch of the program comes at a time when only 67% of Mozambicans have access to drinking water, a figure that has only been reached in the last six years when investment in these systems allowed more than four million to have water throughout the country.

Recently, the government launched the "Water for Life II" program, budgeted at more than $58 million, with the aim of consolidating the gains achieved with the first phase of the program that succeeded in bringing water to more than 1.5 million people, mainly in rural areas of the country, as well as expanding access to the precious liquid to more people.

On the occasion, Filipe Nyusi recalled that the Government recently decided to create four public companies to manage the water supply systems, divided into different regions of the country, which should ensure the full operation of the systems, as well as their expansion in addition to introducing a sustainable commercial management of the systems. On the other hand, it welcomes the experiences of private management of some systems built by the Government that are allowing a correct use and accountability.

However, the Head of State warned that while water consumption tariffs need to recover the investment made and the maintenance of the system, they cannot deprive disadvantaged people of access to water, so a balance must always be found.

During the ceremony, the World Bank assured the Government that it will continue to invest in the improvement and expansion of water supply and sanitation systems in the country, having foreseen financing in the order of a little over 500 million dollars for the coming years. The Kingdom of the Netherlands, the African Development Bank and the Portuguese Republic also reaffirmed their interest in continuing to support Mozambique in improving the availability of drinking water to Mozambicans.