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Budgeted to cost 6 billion US dollars, the Okapi Pipelines water adduction project is an international partnership undertaken by a Congolese company, a US company, and the Oasis Foundation. The project involves the construction of two pipeline systems to supply water to arid regions:
- The first pipeline has been designed to deliver 25 cubic meters per second of water from MOANDA in the DRC to WALVIS BAY, 1000 kilometers away in Namibia, increasing to 100 cubic meters per second in three phases over a three year period.
- The second pipeline will initially supply PORT SUDAN in the Red Sea from a starting point of LISALA in the DRC with 25 cubic meters per second. The discharge will be eventually upgraded to 200 cubic meters per second in 5 phases over 5 years. Thereafter, according to need, that capacity could be increased to a total of 500 cubic meters per second over a second 5 year period.
Water is flowing freely and in abundant quantities in the Congo River Basin. WESTRAC and SAC intend to supply it to the needy regions of Africa and the Middle East. This is likely to trigger an era of progress, co-operation, peace and prosperity for the whole Continent. These are the challenges and the rewards awaiting audacious and generous individuals, companies and states: it is an historic moment at the beginning of the new Millennium!
Excerpts from the 'ELECTRONIC MAIL & GUARDIAN' of June 1997 share these sentiments: "Namibian President Sam Nujoma floats the idea of 1000-km pipe carrying water from the Congo River to parched Namibia... Due to increase in the demand for water in the region, rivers in southern Africa such as Zambezi and the Okavango were under pressure, ..due to the volume of water in the Congo River, there was the added advantage of bigger potential for the generation of hydroelectric power. ..It's not impossible, say experts."
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