Bank Approves African Water Facility Plans for 2018

4 July 2018
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved the work plan and budget of the African Water Facility (AWF) for 2018.

The plan addresses past challenges and proposes solutions on the pressing issues of resource mobilization, filling vacancies, monitoring ongoing projects more closely and resolving issues more quickly, and strengthening the capacity of project implementing agencies.

To be realistic about the complexities of transitioning to the new 2017-2025 strategy, which emphasizes resource mobilization, 2018 operational targets took 2017 results as their baseline: 4 planned project approvals worth €4 million and planned disbursements of approximately €8 million. A 2018-2020 plan will be prepared to provide an additional monitoring tool.

The main strategic focus for 2018 is to put African Urban Sanitation Investment Fund into operation. Under this initiative, largely funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, four city-wide urban sanitation projects will be prepared to ready them to secure public and/or private financing and seed funding (catalytic investment) will be provided for two catalytic investments projects to enable private sector owners to pilot viable business opportunities such as innovative non-sewer sanitation technologies.

The AWF will continue to engage with development partners to better align their respective activities to address Africa's water priorities. In response to the new strategic objective of securing more investment, it will coordinate with the African Ministers' Council on Water to harmonize its activities and related strategic initiatives, create an investment promotion platform and organize joint investment promotion events

AWF will continue to integrate crosscutting considerations having an essential impact on developing the water sector into its interventions. It is committed to addressing gender and social equity, given the different roles, needs and experiences of women and men in accessing and using water. Climate change, employment creation, private sector participation and transition states are also considered in every intervention.

The Facility's administrative budget of €4.42 million will be financed from its special fund (€2.465 million) and €1.955 million from the Bank.

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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