POWERCHINA attends international conference on Lake Chad

Co-sponsored by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and UNESCO, an international conference on Lake Chad was held in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, from February 26 to 28.

Attendees included the presidents of Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Central Africa and Gabon, the premier of Cameroon, representatives of the UN Secretary-General, the chairman of the African Union, representatives from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and Islamic Bank, and Director-General of UNESCO.

Representatives from POWERCHINA were also invited to the conference, including Tian Haihua, Deputy General Manager of POWERCHINA and Secretary of the Party Working Committee at POWERCHINA Central and West Africa Headquarters, Huang Ziping, Deputy Chief Engineer and Head of the Hydropower and Water Division, and Wang Xinhuai, Deputy General Manager of the POWERCHINA Central and West Africa Headquarters.

Officials, experts and scholars from all over the world gave speeches at the conference. During the conference, a consensus was reached that said actions should be taken immediately to solve the ecological problems and reverse the contraction of Lake Chad and achieve the goals of sustainable livelihoods, security and development.

Leaders from the participating countries showed determination in dealing with the problems of the Lake Chad Basin. On February 28, the Abuja Declaration was signed and published. It establishes a project for inter-basin transfer and calls for greater concern and support for the protection and revitalization of the area.

The Minister of Water Resources in Nigeria referred to the commission of POWERCHINA under theLCBC to carry out the basic research and feasibility study of the inter-basin water transfer project to Lake Chad. As one of the leading builders in the energy and power, water and infrastructure sectors in African, POWERCHINA expressed its good willingness and commitment to the social responsibility of African countries.

Led by POWERCHINA INTL. and implemented by POWERCHINA HUADONG, the research will consider the necessity and feasibility of inter-basin water transfer and provide a scientific basis for the project. The research team surveyed the Lake Chad in March, 2017 and the study is carried out according to the plan.

Huang Ziping also introduced China's inter-basin transfer projects exemplified by the newly completed South-to-North Water Transfer Projects.

After more than two decades of exploration, with the core plan of inter-basin water transfer project to save Lake Chad, restore its basin ecological environment in order to achieve tens of millions of the African people's survival and sustainable development. The conference set a milestone to save Lake Chad with the regional, African and international efforts. The conference has also sent a strong invitation to the African continent and the international community.

As an active participant and partner, POWERCHINA, in line with the concept of greater integration with the local societies and common development, has fulfilled its social responsibilities and served the African people. POWERCHINA became a prominent business card of responsibility at the conference.