Gaborone: The Ministers responsible for water from the four Orange-Senqu River Basin states have reiterated their shared commitment to safeguarding the river basin as a strategic resource underpinning regional water security, climate resilience, economic development, and ecological sustainability. The Ministers from the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia, and the Republic of South Africa recently met in Gaborone, Botswana, for the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) Forum of the Parties.
According to South African Government News Agency, the meeting reviewed progress on the cooperative management, development, and protection of the basin's shared water resources and set strategic priorities to guide ORASECOM's ongoing programmes. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to cooperative governance of the basin and welcomed significant progress achieved since the 2023 Forum held in the City of Tshwane, South Africa.
Among the key achievements noted are the advancement of the Revised ORASECOM Agreement, where Ministers noted progress towards the ratification of the revised 2018 Agreement, aiming to modernise and strengthen the Commission's legal and institutional framework to better respond to contemporary water challenges. Additionally, the prioritisation of sanitation and water quality was acknowledged, integrating sanitation into the next Integrated Water Resources Management and Investment Plan (2026-2035) to ensure coordinated action on pollution, water quality monitoring, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services, and cross-sectoral coordination.
The Ministers also noted progress toward improving flow conditions in the Lower Orange-Senqu, with the Noordoewer/Vioolsdrift Dam Bridging Feasibility Study underway. With ORASECOM designated as the Project Executing Agency, procurement of the technical consultant is now in progress.
The Forum commended the Commission for delivering significant basin-wide initiatives, including the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Project (L-BWTP), which has completed its pre-feasibility phase and the Dam Technical Feasibility Study. Outstanding work, including the technical study of the Water Conveyance System (WCS), Environmental and Social Assessments for both dam and conveyance infrastructure, and financial, legal, and institutional assessments, is expected to conclude by mid-2027.
The successful hosting of the 2025 Investment Conference in Maseru mobilised high-level political commitment and enhanced engagement with development partners, financiers, and private-sector actors focused on climate-resilient water investments. Additionally, the completion of the UNDP-GEF SAP Implementation Project delivered tangible community and ecosystem benefits, such as groundwater desalination in Botswana, improved water-quality monitoring in Lesotho, and the development of an estuarine management plan in South Africa.
The initiation of the ORASECOM Water Fund was welcomed by the Ministers, marking progress toward establishing a dedicated long-term financing mechanism to support basin restoration, water security, and climate resilience. A Project Identification Form has been submitted to the Global Environment Facility to support further development.
The Forum also commended ongoing efforts to strengthen the Women in Water Diplomacy Network in the basin, acknowledging recent appointments of basin representatives to the Network's Global Council. The Ministers reviewed the Commission's financial status and expressed appreciation for continued support from international partners, including the African Development Bank and the Government of Germany, encouraging sustained resource mobilisation and broader partnerships to secure long-term programme delivery.
The forum further welcomed steady progress within existing cooperation frameworks, such as the Permanent Water Commission (Namibia-South Africa), the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, and the Botswana-South Africa Joint Permanent Technical Commission, highlighting the value of technical collaboration and shared management across the river basin. The 9th Ordinary Meeting of the Forum of the Parties will be held in 2026 by the Kingdom of Lesotho.