USAID to invest US $3M in water and sanitation in Africa

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed an agreement with the African Water Facility (AWF) to invest US $3M in accelerating the preparation of investment projects in the water and sanitation sectors in Africa.

The AWF, hosted and managed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), aims to mobilize financial resources to increase water and sanitation security in Africa. The investment from USAID will strengthen the grants and technical assistance provided to African countries and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in developing bankable investment projects in the water and sanitation sectors.

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Strategic Plan

This support is aligned with the AWF’s 2017-2025 Strategic Plan, which seeks to improve water and sanitation security for 2.6 million and 2.4 million people, respectively, in Africa. The need for such initiatives is evident, as a significant number of people in Africa still lack access to basic water supply services and decent sanitation facilities.

Approximately 400 million Africans do not have access to basic water supply services, and over 700 million lack access to proper sanitation facilities. Moreover, around 200 million people practice open defecation, and 750 million have no access to sanitation in Africa.

To address these challenges, the AWF is focusing on innovation in service delivery as part of its strategy. The AMCOW initiative, which the AWF is associated with, has already allocated €205 million in grants for various water and sanitation projects in Africa, facilitating over €1.7 billion in downstream investments in these sectors.

This collaboration between USAID and AWF holds great promise for accelerating progress in improving water and sanitation infrastructure in Africa, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing the quality of life for millions of people on the continent.