Financing water infrastructure investment for sustainable development in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The economic downturn in Zimbabwe saw the reduction of government financing and foreign investment which were the main sources of funding for water infrastructure. It then becomes of paramount importance for water investment to be portrayed as a viable investment to attract finance. To do this, there is need to investigate Zimbabwe’s own country-specific barriers which hinder financing water investment. Notable barriers discussed include, low-cost recovery, dependence on external assistance and deterioration of the state institutions from a‘ brain-drain’ of professionals. The legislative environment has also not synchronized water policy and Acts of parliament perpetuating poor service delivery which also further constrains the economy. Zimbabwe needs efficient technical, legal and financial systems in the water sector to find its edge with which it will lure investors. Identifying the problem and the steps to be taken is part of the process to recovering Zimbabwe’s water sector