African Water Facility Mobilizes Half Billion Dollars to Improve Water Supply

On 2nd August 2023, the African Water Facility (AWF) announced that it is setting a fund of USD 500 million earmarked mainly for urban water supply and sanitation. The money will come from the AfDB, donor countries and private investors.

Previously, the AWF principally provided grants and technical support for smaller water projects. With this new fund, it plans to take its game to the next level. The AWF is an #AU organ responsible for all issues related to Water and Sanitation.

In line with the UN #SDG (6) regarding water resources management, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) set up the African Water Facility during its meeting in Abuja in 2002. Following that meeting, the Abuja Ministerial Declaration on Water was adopted. Its objective is encapsulated in the African Water Vision 2025.

Mtchera Chirwa, AWF Coordinator, emphasized that the investment fund will allow the AWF to scale up to the next level and multiply its positive impact in the pursuit of its objective of SDG and combating poverty.

The task ahead is huge and challenging. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 400 million people do not yet have access to modern water supply while some 700 million do not have decent water sanitation facilities.

Since its inception, the AWF has distributed USD 250 million in grants for 133 projects to 52 countries across Africa. Furthermore, the AWF has enabled and facilitated nearly USD 2 billion of investment in water projects around Africa.