The Netherlands has given the African Development Bank (AfDB) a grant of US$ 25 million (EUR 19.6 million) for its Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) [1] Trust Fund. Early, France and Denmark had contributed to the fund. The RWSSI supports innovative approaches to services delivery in 11 countries [2], and expects to extend its operations to all African countries that have defined a national water strategy.

The main target is to extend coverage of safe water and basic sanitation to 80 per cent of the rural populations by 2015 from the base level of about 47 per cent coverage for water supply and 44 per cent for sanitation in 2000. To achieve this target an estimated US$ 14.2 billion (EUR 11.1 billion) is needed of which the AfDB will contribute 30 per cent, regional member countries 20 per cent, and donors 50 per cent.

[1] AfDB – Water Initiatives

[2] Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Uganda, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Morocco, Chad and Tanzania. Other countries soon to join include: Mauritania, Niger and Zambia by the end of 2006); and Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria and Cameroon in 2007.

Contact: Chawki Chahed, AfDB, Tunisia, c.chahed@afdb.org

Source: AfDB, 2 Oct 2006