Council Sets up Mechanism to Address Water Challenges in Africa

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

Mrs. Ochekpe made this declaration on Friday 28th November, 2014 while declaring open the 14th session of African Water Facility Governing Council meeting in Tunis, Tunisia.

African Water Facility is an initiative created by Africa Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) to mobilize resources to finance water resources development activities in Africa. It is hosted and managed  by 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, Water Governance providing grant and assistance to ensure that projects are bankable viable and future proofed with clear opportunity for effective implementation.

At the 14 session of the Governing Council, in Tunis, Mrs. Ochekpe said African Water Facility had prepared projects that have mobilized committed financing totaling 791 million Euros for implementation and follow- up.

She said that available information shown 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 Nordic Development Fund has joined the group of donors and had already committed 6 million Euros in the AWF fund. She said Austria, had also  contributed  one million Euro.

The Chairperson also appreciated the African Development Bank for continued strong financial support of the AWF, in administrative expenses and operational support from the various departments within the bank as part of their hosting arrangement

However the Mrs. Ochekpe called on those African Countries that have not paid their pledges since 2012 to do so, adding that quick redemption of pledges give clear message to AWF development Partners that African Countries value the work of the AWF in preparing projects and mobilizing finance for development of water and sanitation in their countries.

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

He said “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”.

He added that the AWF has prepared a number of quality bankable projects for financing by development partners, including the Bank.

Boade Akinola

DD Press FMWR

Federal Ministry of Water Resources

December 1, 2014