The African Development Bank launches water and sanitation department

16/07/2006

The African Development Bank has established a new department dedicated to water and sanitation issues in Africa effective in July.

[File] Less than 60 per cent of the total population of Africa has access to improved water and sanitation services

A new department has been launched in the Tunisia-based African Development Bank (ADB) focused specifically on water and sanitation issues. The water and sanitation department has been established under the bank's new Vice Presidency for Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration (IOVP).

The bank hopes this will help consolidate and enhance its role in water sector activities in the region. According to the ADB, the decision comes within the framework of reforms initiated by the bank's president, Donald Kaberuka. It is also in line with the bank's millennium development goals (MDGs), which target the water sector, nutrition education, health, gender empowerment and the environment, according to a 10 July ADB press release.

Headed by Kordje Bedmoura, also director of the African Water Facility (AWF), the bank expects the department to play a leadership role in water sector activities in Africa.

"My department will work to enhance the image of the African Development Bank as a centre for excellence and knowledge for water development activities," said Bedmoura in the bank's press release. He added, "It will support the development of the water sector in regional member countries through lending, grants technical assistance and water-sector policy-based operations. The department will also position itself as a leader in mobilising political will and actions to implement policy and institutional reforms in the water sector and catalyze public and private-sector investment flow."

According to ADB's own figures, less than 60 per cent of the total population of Africa has access to improved water and sanitation services. Approximately 210 million people in urban areas will need to be provided with access to water supply services, 211 million people will need to be provided with sanitation services if the international targets for 2015 are to be met. The same number of people in rural areas will also need to gain access to clean water.

To avoid duplication in water and sanitation activities in Africa, the bank says the new department will co-ordinate with NGOs, individual governments, the public sector and private sector. The bank also says it expects to provide a reliable database, as well as develop a monitoring and evaluation system for water sector activities in Africa.

According to the ADB, the new department will support a number of activities, including the improvement of integrated water resources management policies, river basin organisations for joint development of shared waters, small-scale infrastructure development and enhancement of information knowledge in the water sector.

Jamel Arfaoui in Tunis contributed to this report.