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The commissioning ceremony of the Kafue Bulk Water Supply Project took place in Kafue, Lusaka Province, Zambia, on 29 July 2022. The Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) financed the US$150 million project. 

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) carried out the construction work. The Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, was present at the ceremony along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Du Xiaohui, and officials from CCECC.

Construction involved building an intake structure, treatment plant, booster station, and transmission lines to deliver a combined capacity of 50,000 cubic meters of water per day. 

The project will ensure clean and safe drinking water for over 500,000 residents in the Zambian capital. It will also help provide sanitation facilities. The Chinese ambassador praised the CCECC and other stakeholders for completing the project on time and according to the specifications. 

The project helped provide employment opportunities to the local people and trained them to improve their skills - the project employed about 1,000 locals.

The President lauded China for its role in helping to finance and construct the water supply project. He said the project symbolized China’s dedication to improving the quality of life in Zambia. 

Zambia on Friday commissioned a Chinese-funded Kafue Bulk Water Supply Project that would benefit half a million people by giving them access to clean and safe water as well as proper sanitation in Lusaka. pic.twitter.com/KbilnC1RCy

— China Mission to the AU (@ChinatoAU) July 30, 2022

Eric Ding, the general manager of the CCECC Zambia, thanked the people of Zambia and the Zambian Government for their continuous support during the construction. He said proceeding to the project's second phase will require more financing, but will help meet the water needs of the Zambian population.

Top Photo: Wu Peng, Director-General, Department of African Affairs, MFA, China and Du Xiaohui, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia visited Kafue river water supply project by CCECC in Zambia (@JohnCCECC Twitter handle | John Zhao)