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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

THE Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed satisfaction with progress made in water and sanitation projects it is funding across the country.

The regional bank also pledged to continue mobilising financial resources to support more projects.

Speaking during a recent Redcliff community engagement workshop AfDB country director, Mr Damoni Kitabare, said the bank was impressed with the progress made so far. The country received US$22,2 million through the Zimbabwe Multi Donor Trust Fund (Zim-Fund) programme to fund projects that include water and sanitation as well as energy development projects.

Mr Kitabare said water security and provision of adequate sanitation services were among the bank’s key priorities. He said progress made by Zimbabwe in the projects motivates the bank and its partners to do more.

“The bank is indeed gratified and proud to continue witnessing projects delivering tangible results that have a direct positive impact on the day-to-day lives of the people. Let me acknowledge the Zim-Fund contributing donors who provided the financial support to the tune of US$145,8 million to Zim-Fund and partnered with the bank and Government in the quest to deliver basic services to the people of Redcliff as well as other beneficiaries,” he said.

Mr Kitabare said the workshop created a platform for interaction between the bank and residents to gather views and share ideas on how the Zim-Fund programme can be successfully implemented. 

“Engagement, consultation and participation of society and communities served is important in ensuring the achievement of inclusive and sustainable development priorities of Zimbabwe and Africa at large,” he said.

ZimFund is a collaborative effort of seven countries that partnered Government and entrusted the AfDB to administer the fund. The donor countries are Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The programme has two strongly intertwined projects covering water supply and sanitation, rehabilitation project and emergency power infrastructure rehabilitation. The projects have benefited more than 10 local authorities and saw Redcliff receiving a total of US45, 4 million to fix its perennial water shortages.

Redcliff Mayor, Councillor Clayton Masiyatsva, said the local authority was carrying out a number of projects using the fund.

“We are grateful to Zim-Fund which provided money to enable us to implement a number of projects meant to improve service delivery,” he said.

The other beneficiaries of the fund are Bulawayo, Harare, Chitungwiza, Kwekwe, Ruwa, Chegutu, Kadoma and Norton.