Water Supply and Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Activities, Strategies and Lessons Learned of

German Development Cooperation

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Project and Program Activities

Projects and programmes generally concentrate on three areas:

1. Water resources policy and administration (sector reform)

2. Urban water supply and sanitation systems

3. Rural water supply and sanitation systems

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Lessons Learned

Germany’s approach to focus its support to a limited number of

partner countries has had positive impacts on the efficiency

of 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.

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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.

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Lessons Learned

Financing operation can be improved through

enhanced stakeholder participation,

sufficient autonomy to operators as well as

involvement of the local private sector.