Increased Water Availability in Angola to Alleviate Land Disputes

Luanda: President Joo Lourenço announced on Saturday in Cuvelai, located in the southern Province of Cunene, Angola, that the government's strategic initiatives to enhance water availability across the nation, particularly in the Cunene region, aim to mitigate land disputes, especially those involving cattle breeders and local communities. This announcement came during the inauguration of the Ndúe and Calucuve dams in the same municipality. The President emphasized, "if we increase access to water sources, both for people and livestock, conflicts will also decrease." According to Angola Press News Agency, President Lourenço highlighted that a significant portion of land disputes in the region is attributed to water scarcity, as the limited watering points are highly contested by cattle breeders. The newly inaugurated projects are expected to bring substantial change in this regard. President Lourenço was joined by Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ana Dias Lourenço, the First Lady of Angola, for the official commissioning of the dam infrastructure in Cuvelai Municipality. The Ndúe and Calucuve dams are part of five strategic projects under the Programme to Combat the Effects of Drought in Southern Angola (PCESSA), an initiative that has been in progress since 2019 under the guidance and oversight of the Angolan government. The Ndúe dam, located 97 kilometers from Mukolongodjo in Cuvelai Municipality, will serve approximately 55,000 residents and 60,000 cattle. It features a dam measuring 32.80 meters in height and 1,500 meters in length, with a storage capacity of 170 million cubic meters of water. Similarly, the Calucuve dam, situated 34 kilometers from Mukolongodjo, will benefit nearly 200,000 cattle and over 80,000 residents. This dam measures 31.60 meters in height and 2,184 meters in length, with a storage capacity of around 141 million cubic meters. Both dams include extensive water conveyance canals and chimpacas to support various economic and social activities. T he construction of these dams commenced on 28 October 2021, following the groundwork laid by Carolina Cerqueira, the then Minister of State for the Social Area. The expectation is that the dams will play a crucial role in alleviating the recurring droughts impacting southern Angola, while also fostering socio-economic development through job creation, disease mitigation, and other benefits. The dams are intended to address water shortages in the Cuvelai basin, supply water to communities and livestock, bolster food security, support agricultural growth, and promote tourism and infrastructure rehabilitation. The broader Programme to Combat the Effects of Drought in Southern Angola is designed to enhance water access and strengthen agricultural efforts across the provinces of Cunene, Huíla, Namibe, and Benguela.