UNICEF has signed a Long-Term Agreement with PLASTEX

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution recognizing “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights”.

In line with this resolution, the proportion of population in Mozambique with access to water has improved significantly over the years. Nevertheless, still only half has access to good quality water supplies, and less than 20% to adequate sanitation facilities.

While rural areas are most affected by the lack of basic WASH services, there are serious service gaps for the urban poor in fast-growing cities and towns where low investment, lack of systematic maintenance, and unclear institutional mandates have hindered supply.

Frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change, are also a huge challenge. Their occurrences in Africa are more prevalent, with inadequate resources to prepare for,or deal with, the consequences. Accordingly, they continue to have a devastating impact on millions of Mozambicans, with young children most at risk from lack of potable water and poor sanitation. Climate change is also affecting availability and quality of freshwater resources, both surface and ground water, making progress problematic.

In line with the UN resolution, UNICEF has signed a LongTerm Agreement with Plastex to supply water tanks, with the aim is to ensure vulnerable groups have access to safe water supply and sanitation in rural, small towns and peri-urban areas. 

A range of measures to mitigate and reverse climate change is under way worldwide, including renewables, electric cars, etc. But change on the scale required will take time. Meanwhile losses are mounting: $120B in natural disaster damage in 2021 from wildfires, and storms. While preventative measures, and fast response to natural disasters is necessary, adaptation to the reality of climate change is also vital. This includes improved water harvesting/utilization, which Plastex views as a key area in face of frequent drought conditions, and has developed systems to mitigate the effects. At the COP27 summit in Nov 2022, the EU and four member countries pledged an initial 1 billion euros for climate adaptation in Africa, as well as 60 million euros for loss and damage.