South Africa proudly hosted the inaugural Council of Ministers Meeting

On Friday, 5 June 2026, South Africa proudly hosted the inaugural Council of Ministers Meeting of the Incomati and Maputo Watercourse Commission (INMACOM) at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg.

This landmark engagement brought together ministers responsible for water affairs from the Republic of South Africa, the Kingdom of Eswatini, and the Republic of Mozambique, marking a new era of collaboration on shared water resources.
Hon. Pemmy Majodina, South Africa’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, formally welcomed her counterparts, underscoring the importance of coordinated action, shared responsibility, and long‑term resilience in managing vital river basins.
Key highlights included:

• South Africa’s handover of the INMACOM chairmanship to Mozambique after five years of stewardship.
• Approval of INMACOM’s performance report audited financial statements, and management reports.
• Endorsement of the 2026/27 annual workplan and budget, alongside a two‑year rolling programme framework.

Strategic focus on water availability, infrastructure development, data sharing, environmental sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.
Ministers emphasized that the Incomati and Maputo River Basins are lifelines for agriculture, energy, industry, biodiversity, and livelihoods foundations of food security, economic development, and regional stability.
Prince Lonkhokhela said, “Our water resources are shared, our climate risks are shared, and our prosperity is inextricably linked.”
Minister Majodina reinforced by adding that “Water transcends political boundaries. Rivers do not acknowledge borders; they connect landscapes, communities, economies, and ecosystems.”
Mozambique’s Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Fernando Rafael, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses, pledging to ensure that today’s instruments translate into tangible improvements in the quality of life for citizens.

Furthermore, in the Council of Ministers meeting, South Africa formally handed over the chairmanship of INMACOM to Mozambique, following five years of dedicated stewardship. This transition underscores collective commitment to continuity and strengthened regional cooperation.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ms Nessie Golakai-Gould, on behalf of the Global Environment Facility project , emphasised that the initiative is a single, integrated investment in the future of the Incomati and Maputo basins, blending resources with substantial co‑financing from the three countries to strengthen governance, climate and disaster risk preparedness, and data and information systems across the shared basins.
The inaugural INMACOM Council of Ministers Meeting stands as a beacon of regional integration, diplomacy, and sustainable development laying the foundation for long‑term water security and prosperity in Southern Africa.
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