from TSOANELO MOKHAHLANE in Maseru, Lesotho
Lesotho Bureau
MASERU, (CAJ News) – THE Southern African Development Community (SADC), in partnership with the government of Lesotho and supported by the German Development Agency (GIZ), will convene the 11th SADC Multi-Stakeholder Water Dialogue in Maseru from 29–30 September 2025.
The biennial forum brings together policymakers, water experts, and representatives from the agriculture, energy, environment, tourism, and finance sectors to debate how water can drive integration, industrialisation, and poverty reduction in the region.
This year’s Dialogue will be held under the theme: “Water Security, Innovation, and Nexus Action: Watering and Enabling Regional Economic Development Corridors for Transformation in SADC.”
It builds on commitments made at the 44th SADC Summit, which emphasised agricultural transformation, industrialisation, and a just energy transition.
Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Mohlomi Moleko, will deliver the keynote address.
Organised through the SADC-GIZ Transboundary Water Management project and the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA), the Dialogue will explore how water can enable climate-resilient and integrated development corridors using the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus approach.
The concept of economic corridors has gained momentum in SADC as countries seek to unlock regional value chains and strengthen trade. Water, experts note, is central to this vision — from powering energy projects and sustaining agriculture to enabling industrial growth and food security.
Key sessions will focus on governance models, financing tools, and innovative technologies to strengthen climate resilience. Participants will also identify mechanisms for aligning national and regional planning with corridor development strategies.
The Dialogue is expected to generate actionable recommendations to ensure water not only underpins trade and industrialisation but also enhances resilience, food security, and inclusive growth across Southern Africa.
– CAJ News