Joint Songwe River Basin Commission (SONGWECOM)

It is with profound honour and a deep sense of shared responsibility that I welcome you to the Joint Songwe River Basin Commission (SONGWECOM), a transboundary institution founded on the stable partnership between the Republic of Malawi and the United Republic of Tanzania. Our Commission embodies a collective vision of cooperation, solidarity and sustainable development, guided by a firm commitment of our Member States to advance the socio-economic transformation of the Songwe River Basin for present and future generations.

SONGWECOM is emerging as a model River Basin Organisation (RBO), demonstrating how shared natural resources can be transformed into catalysts for peace, prosperity and regional integration. The Commission is entrusted with a strategic mandate to coordinate and implement the Songwe River Basin Development Programme (SRBDP), a comprehensive, multi-sectoral framework addressing water, energy, food security and climate resilience challenges across the basin.

Anchored in Commission’s Shared Vision 2050, we are committed to realizing a basin where improved quality of life is achieved through sustainable resource utilization and inclusive economic growth. This vision is a practical roadmap, shaped by our communities, endorsed by our governments and aligned with continental and global development priorities. The member states have consistently demonstrated solid political will and strategic leadership in advancing this vision. Their joint commitment evidenced through bilateral agreements, institutional support and prioritization of flagship investments continues to provide a strong foundation for the Commission’s work and reinforces confidence among partners and investors. This unity of purpose positions SONGWECOM as a credible and stable platform for long-term development cooperation.

At the centre of our transformative agenda is an integrated investment portfolio exceeding United States Dollars 1.04 billion, designed to unlock the full economic, social and environmental potential of the basin. The flagship Lower Songwe Dam, Hydropower Plant and Transmission Lines Project demonstrates this ambition. It is a truly transformative initiative delivering renewable energy, flood control, irrigation, water supply and climate resilience benefits to over two million people, while catalysing regional economic growth and integration .

Beyond infrastructure, SONGWECOM is building a robust institutional ecosystem strengthening governance systems, enhancing data and knowledge platforms, operationalizing early warning systems and empowering communities through participatory and inclusive approaches. Our interventions from flood early warning systems to community-based natural resource management demonstrate tangible progress in improving livelihoods and resilience across the basin .

Our aspiration is clear: to position SONGWECOM as a leading River Basin Organization, setting benchmarks in transboundary water governance, climate resilience and integrated development. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, accountability and results-based management, while continuously innovating to respond to emerging regional and global challenges.

In this journey, partnership is not optional, it is foundational. We therefore extend a sincere invitation to development partners, multilateral and regional financial institutions, private sector investors, climate funds, academia and civil society to collaborate with us. SONGWECOM offers a unique investment and partnership platform where projects are not only bankable, but transformative; not only sustainable, but scalable.

As we look ahead, we reaffirm our commitment to:

• Delivering high-impact, integrated investments that improve livelihoods.
• Mobilizing innovative and blended financing solutions.
• Strengthening transboundary cooperation as a model for Africa.
• Ensuring inclusive, climate-resilient development across the basin.

Together with our Member States and partners, we are shaping a future where the Songwe River Basin becomes a beacon of cooperation, resilience and shared prosperity in Africa.

Executive Secretary
Joint Songwe River Basin Commission (SONGWECOM)