Ondjiva - The United Nations General Assembly has stressed the importance of the Cafu water transfer system, from the Cunene River, in supplying and fighting against drought in the southern Cunene province.
The role of the infrastructure was highlighted by the president of the United Nations General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, while speaking to the press at the end of his visit to the Cafu Canal on Friday.
Abdulla Shahid said that the project was created to ensure water supply to the population, livestock and the practice of agriculture.
He recalled the consequences the local population experienced, as result of the drought that hit the region in 2021.
Acknowledging the role of the project, he recommended the implementation of the same infrastructure in the other regions facing the drought problem.
“We visited the Cunene River water transfer system and we were pleased with what we saw. We are grateful for the work done by the Angolan Executive, under President João Lourenço. It was a clear evidence of the commitment to combating drought and climate change”, he said.
Abdulla Shahid also highlighted the collaboration of the Angolan Government and the United Nations in the execution of ongoing projects for the creation of community gardens.
The Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António considered the visit by the president of the General Assembly a recognition of the Angolan government's efforts to combat the drought.
Estimated at 44.3 billion kwanzas, the canal will also allow the watering of 250,000 animals and the irrigation of 5,000 hectares of agricultural fields.
Since April, work has been underway to expand the five kilometers of the Cafu canal.
In October 2021, Cunene province laid the first stone for the construction of the Calucuve and Ndué dams, in the municipalities of Cuvelai and Cuanhama, two structural projects to combat drought in the region.
There is also plan to start work on Cova do Leão Dam, in the municipality of Cahama, as part of structural projects to combat drought on the right bank of the Cunene River.
