The Third Africa Conference on Hygiene and Sanitation (AfricaSan 3) is held from July 19-21, 2011 in Kigali, Rwanda. AfricaSan 3 is being hosted by the Government of Rwanda and the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW). AfDB is one of the conference sponsors.
The overall objective of AfricaSan 3 is to get Africa on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for sanitation. Expecting over 700 participants from all over African and abroad, the conference aims at attracting the sanitation and hygiene leadership and expertise in Africa as well as the leading African and global agencies.
AfDB will be participating in several events, and will be hosting "Successful Sanitation Interventions and their Financing: Cases Studies in Urban, Peri-Urban and Rural Areas" a panel discussion open to all conference participants, scheduled on Wednesday, July 20, from 14:30-17:30 at the Serena Hotel, in Kigali.
Sanitation: challenges and opportunities in Africa
Many countries in Africa are facing serious challenges in addressing sanitation and are off track in achieving the MDG targets for sanitation, often due to lack of strong policies and financing. While innovation and increased investments would be part of the solution, there's also ample scope for better and more efficient use of existing resources.
The development of affordable and sustainable sanitation services requires a better performing sector capable to lead, catalyze and support pro-poor change in the sanitation delivery.
To strengthen the sector, African governments need assistance in adopting adequate policies and strategies and in building capacity, which could translate into the expansion of sanitation coverage and ensure the sustainability of the existing facilities. The African Development Bank joins other multilateral organizations as well as African and international agencies committed to finance promising projects and programmes proposed by these governments, and to provide them with the necessary expertise.
Facts and statistics
About 586 million people, more than 60 percent of Africa's population, currently do not have access to safe sanitation.
70% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to improved sanitation.
In rural area, 76% of the population does not have access to adequate sanitation.
Open defecation is the most common type of practice in rural areas
Between 1990 and 2008, while the urban population doubled, the increase in proportion of people who gained access to sanitation was negligible.
It is estimated that 1 million Africans die every year from sanitation, hygiene and drinking-water related diseases.
AFDB's Commitment to Sanitation
Aligning with the 2008 eThekwini Declaration, the Bank is committed to supporting its member countries' efforts to deliver adequate sanitation services to millions of Africans. The AfDB has been playing a major role in support of infrastructure and institutional development on the continent largely drawing on national strategies to implement programs.
What the Bank has done so far
From 2003 to 2010, AfDB has invested a total of USD 3.2 billion to finance 31 urban and 28 rural water supply and sanitation projects, in 36 countries;
The total financing of AfDB approved water supply and sanitation projects was about USD 4.8 billion, to which the Bank contributed USD 3.2 billion, while governments contributed USD 0.6 billion and other donors USD 1.0 billion.
Of the total USD 4.8 billion, USD 1.1 billion was investment for sanitation; USD 1.0 billion went to urban sanitation and; USD 0.1billion went to rural sanitation.
Projects financed so far have included hygiene education and capacity building, infrastructure, household latrines, public latrines, sewerage systems, landfill sites, transfer stations and collection systems.
