CONCLUSIONS
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More detailed, exhaustive and comprehensive studies will be conducted in order to define the technical specifications and guidelines usable for tendering procedure. Nevertheless, some definitive conclusions can be already drawn as to the feasibility and viability of the OKAPI PIPELINES projects, among them:
The intake of the proposed water discharges is of no harmful consequences to hydrology and climatic conditions of the Congo River basin. The project, although challenging, should not present experienced engineers and manufacturers with insoluble problems. The project will be beneficial to the host countries and especially to the riparian populations. Still, a throughout study and re-evaluation of their impact on social, cultural, political and economic activities will be undertaken and taken into account in the final designing stage.
In all cases, the projects will afford the host countries, the financial and technical stakeholders an opportunity to impact on the well being of Africa, in general, and to help solve acute problems of water shortage experienced in the beneficiary regions, namely the Southern Africa and the Middle East. Indeed, apart from the Lesotho Highland and "Amenagement du Fleuve Senegal" projects, at a lesser level, these will be the first major projects involving co-operation between several African countries, in one hand, and between African countries and other Continents, in the other hand. If it is of common knowledge that water is the source of life and is indispensable for its maintenance, the OKAPI PIPELINES projects herald the era of "water for prosperity and peace".
With these projects, the DRC will plainly achieve its vocational role of being the heart of Africa providing petrol, gas, minerals and, mostly water and electricity to the whole Continent and beyond, while creating wealth, peace and prosperity for its own citizens! As far as the DRC is concerned, The OKAPI Pipelines Project will be designed and implemented in such a way as to take into account the needs of the local populations that would be affected by the itinerary of the pipeline. The Project is expected to create around 20,000 permanent employment posts for Congolese citizens. The jobs created in the wake of the project, will surely generate stirring and dynamic forces able to bring about an unprecedented mutifaceted economic development for the country as a whole. Regular and world class wages and other fringe benefits paid to the employees will surely boost the demand for basic and other consumer goods that, in turn will increase the production and uplift the living standard within the region and far beyond. The levying of provincial and national taxes, will empower the public administration with new means for social welfare delivery. More explicitly, such an important investment and undertaking in a short period of 5 years will inject nearly US $ 3 billions in the form of salaries, taxes, building material provisioning, townships erection and incidental services. The state owned corporations such as the National Insurance company (SONAS), the Housing Consortium (LOGEC), the Water Supply company (REGIDESO), the Electricity Supply company (SNEL) and the Road Authority (Office des Routes) will all benefit by working in co-cooperation with the Okapi Pipeline Project. The outcome will be a revival of these otherwise dying and unproductive national assets. The erection of thousands of dwellings and other functional buildings by LOGEC, the extension of the water supply network of REGIDESO and the increase in the number of households and industries supplied by SNEL should result from the implementation of the project. Given the installed capacity at the Mobayi-Bongo SNEL's outmost hydro-electrical plant in the north of the country: It will be possible and likely that it exports electrical power to the neighboring easthern Central Africa Republic and southern Sudan, generating important revenues in hard currencies. Such material as cement, electrical wires, rock aggregates and wooden products, etc, will witness a sharp demand increase leading to a revival and/or expansion of the activities of national suppliers. The like of the cement manufacturers (CICO & CINAT), CARRIGRES, LENGSRAM, LATRECA, etc., ONATRA ( National River Transportation Agency), LAC (National Airways company), CAL (a private airways company), TRANSMAC ( a private road transport corporation) and the SNCFC (the National Railways Agency) will enjoy a fruitful partnership with the project suppliers and entrepreneurs. The project will play a catalytic effect on the birth of a new national and international business ventures in all spectrum of the economic activities. The financial inflow will alleviate the chronic lack of hard currencies and enable commercial banks to open new offices in the newly developed regions. As a consequence of the economic development the OKAPI Pipeline Project will generate in the country, the population will undeniably have access to considerable social benefits. It is foreseen that more than 400,000 new jobs will stem directly or indirectly from the creation of the 20,000 permanent employment positions within the project. Better wages will, as explained earlier, increase the demand side for better education, better sanitation and health care and the like. This important project will provide employment and technological opportunities for Congoles eengineers and technicians from local universities (UNIKIN, UNILU, ISTA, IBTP,...) or abroad. It is a duty for the project to assure that the personnel and their families enjoy good health in providing for the construction of clinics and hospitals along the project route. Strategic plans for education and training for the five first years of the project and beyond, must be conducted diligently in cooperation with the public service for curricula definition, management and funding of the schools and training centers. In conclusion, the construction of the OKAPI Pipeline Project and the economical and social synergies that ensue can and should be duplicated in the other regions in order to bring about the long awaited economic development of the DR of Congo. In-depth analyses and studies have been conducted in order to maximize the outcomes that the country will benefit from the project, emphasizing particularly the development of natural and human resources while mitigating the consequences of the project on the ecosystem in the affected region. Special care is being taken for the preservation of the habitat of our endangered fauna and flora species. In that context, the choice of the name OKAPI for the project is symbolic of our commitment and determination to promote the preservation of the Congolese fauna and flora. Okapi, a mammal in the family of the giraffe, is found in its natural environment only in the DRC, where it symbolizes the preservation of the indigenous equatorial forest. The OKAPI Pipeline Project entrusts itself with the mission of assuring the conservation endeavor by setting aside special funds for the reforestation projects and by committing efforts to preserve rare species and the most endangered of them, as are the Bonobos and the Okapis.
References:
- Jan Rossman: "Constructions Hydrauliques", Faculte Polytechnique, UNIKIN, 1980, Kinshasa, Congo.
- M. Sprouck: "Mesurcs Hydrographiques Effectuees dans la Region Divergente du Bief Maritime du Fleuve Congo", Bruxelles, 1941, Memoire IRCB tome III.
- M. Lempicka:"Bilan Hydrique du Bassin du Fleuve Congo. Premiere Partic: Ecoulement du Bassin 1950-1955", ONRD, Kinshasa, Congo.
- H. Raats:"R264-m Vaalkop Southern Water Supply scheme", in:"Watcr Sewage & Effluent, vol 19, no I, pp 11-15.
- CEE(Continuing Engineering Education): "Pipeline Design", University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 1985.
- G. Ostroski:"The Construction of the Civil Work for the Injaka Pump Station", Tendering documents. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria.
- D.S.Miller: "Internal Flow Systems", vol. 5 in the BHRA Fluid Engineering Series, 1986, UK.
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