African Water Facility Governing Council establishes mechanism for addressing water challenges in Africa

 TUNIS (Water Resources Ministry Report) – The Chairperson  of the Governing Council of the African Water Facility (AWF), who is also  the Minister of Water Resources in Nigeria, Sarah Reng Ochekpe has said that the African water facility has prepared a bankable water and sanitation project capable of addressing various challenges facing the water sector in Africa.

Sarah Ochekpe made this declaration on Friday November 28, 2014 while declaring open the 14th Session of the African Water Facility Governing Council Meeting held in Tunis, Tunisia lately. She explained that the African Water Facility is an initiative created by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) to mobilize resources towards financing water resources development activities in Africa. Adding, it is hosted and managed  by the African Development Bank (AFDB).

“The Governing Council is made up of 13 members appointed by AMCOW, donors to the fund, the African Development Bank, the African Union and UN- Water/ Africa. It focuses more on project preparation and water governance; providing grant and assistance to ensure that projects are bankable, viable and future – proven with clear opportunity for effective implementation,” she said. 

“The African Water Facility has prepared projects that have mobilized committed financing totaling 791 million Euros for implementation and follow- up. Available information shows that over 3.2 million people are expected to benefit from improved access to sanitation facilities and over 2.8 million people will benefit from access to improved drinking water sources as a result of the completed AWF preparation and small scale investment.”  

The Chairperson further announced that the Nordic Development Fund has joined the group of donors and has already committed 6 million Euros in the AWF fund. She indicated that Austria has also  contributed  one million Euro.  She further expressed appreciation to the African Development Bank for continued strong financial support to the AWF through administrative expenses and operational support from the various departments of the bank as part of their hosting arrangement.

The Water Resources Minister called on the African Countries that have not paid their pledges since 2012 to do so, noting that quick redemption of pledges give clear messages to the AWF development partners that African countries value the work of the AWF in preparing projects and mobilizing finance for the development of water and sanitation in their countries.

Speaking on the progress of the African Water Facility, the Vice President for AFDB Group’s Agriculture, Water, Human Development, Governing and Natural Resources, Aly Abou-Sabaa said that African Water Facility has since inception contributed significantly to addressing some of the critical challenges in the water sector.

“I am proud to report that over the past eight years, the African Water Facility, an AMCOW initiative hosted by the African Development Bank has developed in a successful financial leveraging instrument. Its contribution to the development and management of water resources in Africa is well recognized. The AWF has prepared a number of quality bankable projects for financing by development partners, including the Bank.