Access to Drinking Water and Sanitation
In 2007, 1.1 billion people did not have sufficient access to water and 2.6 billion had no sanitation services. One of the UN Millennium Goals spells out the scope of the challenge, which is to «halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to drinking water by 2015»
Improving access to drinking water and sanitation services entails a three-pronged challenge:
- freeing people – usually women and children – from having to collect and transport water,
- improving public health,
- protecting the environment.
Water Supply: a Focal Point of French Aid
France has pledged to double its contributions to the water sector, with a focus on Africa. To this end, AFD – which works in developing countries to reduce poverty by facilitating access to essential services – devotes an average of 20% of its total contributions to improving access to drinking water and sanitation.
AFD supports a wide range of activities in the sector, including: support for policies related to water supply and governance; integrated management of water resources; supply of drinking water for domestic and industrial use in rural and urban areas; domestic and industrial waste water treatment throughout the cycle (collection, treatment, and recovery of by-products); and storm water runoff treatment.
AFD’s contribution to the French government’s endeavour to double aid for the water sector is reflected in its 2009 funding goal of €290 million, half of which is earmarked for Africa. These objectives have been met for 2007.
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African countries are the primary beneficiaries of AFD contributions to the water sector.
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In developing countries, €317 million has been earmarked, half for drinking water and half for sanitation, including €57 million in grants, €99 million in sovereign loans, and €161 million in non-sovereign loans. African countries are the primary target of AFD aid, receiving 57% of the total amount, accounting for €180 million in new commitments.
This funding will provide access to drinking water for about 4 million people and sanitation services for about 1.7 million in developing countries.
Improving access to drinking water in the suburbs of Kinshasa
After decades of conflict and rural flight, rapid and unplanned urbanization in suburban areas of the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo and in some cities in Bas-Congo has led to difficulties in meeting demand for safe drinking water. Local populations in these areas have no water distribution network.
In response, AFD has approved a €8 million grant for a drinking water supply program for these communities that aims to build 19 distribution networks to help improve the sanitary and living conditions of 410,000 inhabitants. The program will have a particularly strong impact on women by reducing their water collection chores. One of the program components is a public hygiene initiation and awareness campaign, with a focus on schools.
Find out more about AFD and water
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>> AFD and water in the Mediterranean - Supporting the sustainable management of an endangered resource
October 2008 (653 ko)
>> AFD, water and sanitation
October 2008 (751 ko)