‘Articulate needs properly’

The World Bank is funding projects such as the National Water Development Programme to help improve access to clean water. Recently Dr. Denny Kalyalya executive director for the bank’s Group One, which comprises 22 African countries visited one of the water projects the bank supports at Mponela in Dowa. He talks to our reporter Samuel Chibaya on the bank’s support to Malawi.

Having visited a number of projects, including the Mponela Water Scheme, what’s your impression?

We feel encouraged when we see the actual work on the ground. It is not the same thing as when we read reports that there is something else, but when you visit it you have the appreciation of what the resources can do. And looking at the fact that water is life, it’s quite heart-warming to see that plans are underway to reach as many people as possible.

So, we really feel encouraged that this project has taken off and we regret that there were drawbacks, but now that the project is in full swing, we can see that the fruits are much nearer. Going through what we have done, we see that there is quite a need for clean water in the surrounding communities.

Most projects fail because communities are not involved, what’s your impression in this project?

I am happy that the communities seem to be quite patient and waiting patiently to access this water so we hope that the project will grow as the communities keep on growing. So far, I think the indications are that it [the project] will be able to meet the needs of the communities once the project is commission. We would in this regard ask Escom to speed up the [power] connection so that water can now start flowing to the communities that need it.

How are you going to articulate the country’s needs when you get back to the World Bank office?

From where we sit as a board, for me I will be speaking for government, as it were, to articulate the needs, but at the same time I think the way the bank operates is that it operates through the government set up. There is a block allocation for Malawi and it is up to Malawian authorities to decide how they are going to apportion that amount allocated to different needs according to the country but that is guided by what is known as the country assistance strategy. So it is very important that those needs are properly articulated so that they can be responded to accordingly.

How can the country continue benefiting from the bank in such projects?

I was talking to someone from the bank that there is a joint initiative between World Bank and African Development Bank and these are some of the areas that Malawi could very well qualify and benefit from those joint initiatives. Clearly, the World Bank alone cannot afford to meet all the needs. We are talking about one project here, but there are lot of them throughout the country.

So, there is need for the country to look for other partners so that they can take the small chunks and be able to meet the greater needs, but as I say water is life, there is need for supplying people with clean water because it goes a long way in dealing with other issues as health.

How has the ongoing global financial crisis affected the bank’s funding to poor countries like Malawi?

The bank is not spared from the same crisis as I have alluded to. As a matter of fact, there is a process because the bank every three years draws out, particularly the window like that Malawi draws its funding from called IDA [International Development Association].  Every three years, we go for replenishment. So, we don’t know as traditional donors have their own concerns and are not able to respond to needs of countries such as Malawi and other developing countries.

Despite funding from the bank, access to water is still a challenge even in major towns, what should be done?

We recognise that these are challenges that cannot be overcome overnight so what is needed is better preparedness, good planning and really working out mechanisms that will help deal with these problems in a more sustainable way.  Part of the problem is that there is environmental degradation so water sources are also being affected in that way. It is a much broader issue than just merely water; it affects other parts of the environment, so we have to have a more holistic approach towards this. This is not an area for the bank alone; it is an area for everybody who is interested in development and development issues need cooperating partners they have a role to play, including the communities themselves so each one of us has a role to play.

The towns are growing because population is also growing. So, it calls for better town planning so that people don’t just settle in areas that are water sources because it happens in many towns that those areas that are catchment for water are now being turning into settlements for people.