Welcoming the proposed new funding, he endorsed the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Programme, noting that the first phase of the programme has delivered tangible impacts, with the second phase expected to cover 3 more towns. The minister emphasized the need for a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) to ensure greater focus on sanitation in order to address the frequent outbreaks of water borne diseases in the lake region. 22 Hon. Mark Mwandosya, Minister of Water Development and Irrigation, Tanzania expressed his appreciation to UN-HABITAT, the EAC, and the Government of Uganda for hosting the meeting, noting with satisfaction that these meetings provide a good opportunity for fruitful deliberations as they bring together all the Water Development Ministers from the EAC member states. He thanked the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT for launching the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative saying it has had great success in the Phase I towns in Tanzania - Muleba, Bukoba and Mutukula.
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Underscoring the importance that Tanzania attaches to this programme, the minister confirmed that there is strong high-level political commitment to the programme, with the President having laid the foundation stone for the project in Muleba, and the Vice - President inaugurating the Bukoba Project. The minister welcomed the second phase of the programme covering three new towns in Tanzania. He emphasized that the Government attaches great importance to expanding the Progamme to Mwanza town and the small towns around Mwanza. He commended UN-HABITAT and the EAC for the success of the initiative, and expressed the hope that it would be replicated in Rwanda and Burundi. The Minister reiterated Tanzania’s full commitment to the Initiative, saying his country will provide the required counterpart funding in full, and mobilize additional funding from other sources to support the programme. He also suggested that a donor conference should be held as soon as possible to ensure that the scaling up of the programme received the necessary support.