Water Supply and Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Water Supply and Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa Activities, Strategies and Lessons Learned of German Development Cooperation

2. WSS in SSA • One of the most supported fields of German DC in sub-Saharan Africa. • Focal sector in 9 partner countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Eritrea, Kenya, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

3. The general approach of German DC • Support the partner countries in developing sector framework conditions through sector reforms which are favourable to sustainable water and sanitation services. • German Technical Co-operation and Financial Co- operation are strongly participating in a dialogue with the public institutions of the partner countries responsible for policy setting and regulation.

4. The general approach of German DC • At project / program level German TC is supporting partner institutions in institution and capacity building, • German FC is providing funds to finance investments in infrastructure with the aim to enhance sector reforms.

5. Current German Activities • Overall commitments in German FC for the period 1999 – 2002 Amount to 277.9 million EUR (i.e. 55.6 m. EUR p.a. in average). • In 2003, FC projects were ongoing in 25 countries. • As part of German TC, GTZ is currently implementing 30 ongoing projects in 18 countries with an overall financial budget of more than 75 million EURO.

6. Project and Program Activities Projects and programmes generally concentrate on three areas: • Water resources policy and administration (sector reform) • Urban water supply and sanitation systems • Rural water supply and sanitation systems

7. Strategies for Urban WSS • Repair and rehabilitation of existing WSS systems are given preference over the construction of new capacities. • Focus is on the improvement of the efficiency of the service providers through commercialisation and / or private sector participation (PSP) accompanied by appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. • User participation in planning and implementation of projects and programmes is gaining importance.

8. Strategies for Urban WSS • Sanitation is gaining importance in urban areas (e.g. Burkina Faso and Uganda). • The challenge is to find appropriate solutions which are acceptable to operators and users with regard to costs and operational requirements. • Appropriate, decentralised WSS systems involving hand-pump and standpipe systems, and latrines. • Maximum possible consumer participation in the planning, selection, investment and operation of the systems.

9. Strategies for (small) Municipal and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation • The formation and empowerment of water user groups responsible for operation and maintenance is important in order to increase ownership and efficiency. • Hygiene, sanitation and awareness-raising measures are major project components. • Very successful project examples are a FC water supply programme for small Municipalities in Mali or TC activities in rural Ghana.

10. Lessons Learned • Germany’s approach to focus its support to a limited number ofpartner countries has had positive impacts on the efficiencyof DC. • Enhanced co-operation between bilateral and multilateral donors is important in order to improve service delivery. • Sector Reforms show direct effects and better acceptance when they are accompanied by exemplary investment programmes and capacity building activities. • The establishment of conducive and clear legal and regulatory frameworks is important to make efficient use of FC.

11. Lessons Learned • The focus on the poor must be increased. • Improvement of existing urban water infrastructure and services must go hand in hand with service extension to previously unserved informal settlements and peri-urban areas. • Approaches to improve investment finance should tap the local potential and can be enhanced by multi stakeholder partnerships.

12. Lessons Learned • Financing operation can be improved through enhanced stakeholder participation, sufficient autonomy to operators as well as involvement of the local private sector.