Angola/Namibia sign Calueque Dam cooperation agreement

 Ombadja - Angola and Namibia governments signed Wednesday, an agreement on the regulation of the cooperation plan for the Calueque dam Located in Ombadja Municipality, southern Cunene Province.

The signing of the agreement was witnessed by the minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, and the Namibian minister of Agriculture, Water and Agrarian Reform, Carl Schletwein.

 

Built in 1976, the dam was rehabilitated in 2016 under an estimated value of 200 million US dollars.

 

 

The infrastructure has a storage volume of 475 million cubic meters, 18 meters of maximum height from the foundation, 12 bottom and 10 flood gates.

 

The project aims to supply water for human consumption, livestock and irrigation and guarantee road access through the bridge incorporated in the dam.

 

Speaking to the press, João Baptista Borges said the dam will regulate the flow of the Cunene River, to ensure the efficient production of energy at the Ruacana hydroelectric plant.

 

The Angolan minister informed that the dam will pump water to the Oshakati region through a pumping system.

 

"Because it is located in our territory, the two parties signed specific agreements for the operation of the enterprise and circulation of Nampower technicians, based on the lines defined in the agreement," the Angolan minister said. 

 

João Borges added that the Cunene River is the sole water resource of Namibia, being an important shared project for Angola, which represents an example of how to explore the water resources for the good of the populations. 

 

The Calueque dam has been  built on the bed of the Cunene river, intended for river regulation and to capture water for irrigation and public supply.

 

Calueque is located about 1100 m above mean sea level, on the south bank of the Cunene River, in the vicinity of the Calueque Dam, about 12 km from the Angola-Namibia border.

 

Calueque is a village of the Naulila commune, Ombadja Municipality, with 425 inhabitants. It is 193 kilometers away from the city of Ondjiva, capital of the Cunene Province.