One of the aims of the Netherlands development budget for 2006 is to provide sustainable drinking water and sanitation for an extra five million people; by 2015 the aim is 50 million. In addition, at least two public-private partnerships for drinking water and sanitation will be supported.

The Netherlands provides bilateral support to the water sector in ten countries. In at least two other countries water and sanitation will be supported via (silent) partnerships. Recipients of Dutch multilateral support include the World Bank, the regional development banks, UNICEF and UN-HABITAT. Key elements in Dutch support are output-orientation, institutional development, capacity building, and pro-poor gender-based approaches. The Netherlands will review its aid policy for drinking water and sanitation in 2007.

In the new round of 5-year thematic funding (TMF) for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the government has allocated nearly EUR 27 million to water-related NGOs for the period 2006-2010. The main recipients include IRC’s partners in WaterLinks [1], Aqua for All (EUR 9.27 million) and Simavi (EUR 12.3 million). The other recipients are Connect International (EUR 1.79 million) and the Gender and Water Alliance (GWA) (EUR 3.25 million).

Web site: Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Dutch Aid Policy – Water

[1] IRC - MoU between IRC, Simavi and Aqua for All, 2 May 2005

Source: National budget 2006 – Foreign Affairs (in Dutch) ; Overview of accepted TMF-applications (in Dutch) – dossier 27433, no. 46, 13 Oct 2005, available through http://parlando.sdu.nl

Tags: policies & legislation