Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Initiative

Launched by the AfDB in 2003, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) aims at accelerating access to improved rural water supply and sanitation facilities in Africa, in a sustainable way.

The Initiative seeks to help mobilize as well as facilitate the flow of available and potential resources to accelerate investment in Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) in Africa, with goal to reach 80 percent coverage by the year 2015. The Initiative supports the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the reduction of poverty.  

RWSSI was adopted in 2005 by AfDB’s main international development partners and African governments as a common framework, at the first International Conference on the RWSSI held in Paris April 1st, 2005.

The AfDB strategy in the water and sanitation sector is to increase its financing mainly for rural interventions where the poorest 65 percent of population live while maintaining support for peri-urban and urban areas, water for irrigation and hydropower, and transboundary water resources management.

Sources of Financing

While the AfDB has committed to cover 30 percent of the Initiative’s total financial needs, the Bank also leverages financial resources from the donor community.  Most of these funds are provided directly to Regional Member Countries (RMCs) while other funds are channeled through the Bank Group to support Bank financed RWSSI country programmes.

The total source of financing is designed to be as follows:

• Donors - 50% (Bilateral Donors and Multilateral Financial Institutions; NGOs)
• AfDB - 30% (ADB/ADF, RWSSI-TF, AWF, and other funds)  
• African Governments -15%
• Communities -5%

Results and Milestones

Since its inception, 31 RWSS programs in 23 African countries have been approved, of which 16 have started to deliver water and provide sanitation services.  The additional people served with access to water supply through the RWSS program rose from 1.15 million people reported at the end of 2007, to 32.63 million people at the end of 2010, while for sanitation it increased from 0.58 million to 20.09 million people, over the same period. Read more

RWSSI-Trust Fund

Managed by the AfDB, the RWSSI Trust Fund (RWSSI-TF) was established in 2006 following the first RWSSI Conference in Paris to earmark additional resources.  The Fund supplements AfDB resources with a view to scaling up the financing of RWSS Programmes.

• Current volume of the fund: Euro 117.35 million
• Financial contributors to the RWSSI-TF: Canada (Euro 25.20 million), Denmark (Euro 30 million), France (Euro 40 million), the Netherlands (Euro 20 million) and Switzerland (Euro 2.15million) – as of June 2011.
• The RWSS programmes/projects co-financed by RWSSI-TF are designed and implemented in compliance with the AfDB’s internal procedures with approval of projects by the AfDB Board of Directors.

RWSSI-TF Administration and Governance

• RWSSI TF Committee: Representatives from Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Switzerland and the AfDB Water and Sanitation Department. The Committee convenes once a year to review progress and to approve the annual work programme.
• RWSSI TF Focal Point: AfDB Water and Sanitation Department appraises and processes the programmes through the AfDB's internal review process.

Scope of Activities

RWSSI is geared towards mobilizing resource and accelerating RWSS investments in Regional Member Countries (RMC).  

The main activities include:

• Funds mobilization;
• Advocacy at the regional and country levels;
• Country assessments and selection;
• Programme preparation and appraisal;
• Supervision and implementation Support to RMCs;
• Co-ordination and building partnerships with stakeholders;
• Monitoring country programmes.

Areas of Focus / Sub-Sectors

Focus areas include water supply, sanitation, hygiene, sector policy and strategy, capacity building and funds mobilization for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation sub-sector.

Target Beneficiaries

The Initiative targets about 280 million people living in rural Africa with access to new and rehabilitated water supply and sanitation (WSS) facilities.

Technical Department and Task Manager
Sering Jallow, Manager, Water and Sanitation Department, Division 2
Tel: (216) 7110 2191

Partnerships and Cooperation Unit Focal Point
Khadidia Diabi, Principal Cooperation Officer
Tel: (216) 7110 3002