Grant Approvals
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 31 January 2025 – The African Water Facility has approved a grant of 5.7 million euros for the Ethiopia Climate Resilient Urban and Rural WASH Project, to improve access to sustainable potable water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services in urban and rural areas of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Government is implementing several programmes to address shortfalls in water and sanitation access, compounded by climate change, rapid urbanization, and inadequate infrastructure. Many communities, particularly in rural areas, rely on unsafe water sources and lack of adequate sanitation. This increases health risks and socio-economic disparities.
The urban and rural water, sanitation and hygiene project will address this by increasing access to clean water, improving sanitation and hygiene practices in targeted areas, and strengthening institutional capacity for the effective management of water resources.
Over 51,600 people in Beshasha and Ebala-Adilo areas of the country will benefit directly from interventions under the project, while more than 160,000 residents across additional urban and rural settlements will be further impacted from the interventions. Public institutions, including schools and health centres, will also receive improved WASH services and facilities, leading to better health outcomes for all.
Mtchera Chirwa, Coordinator of the African Water Facility said, “Water and sanitation are essential services which everyone should have access to. The African Water Facility is committed to supporting regional member countries, like Ethiopia, with initiatives that improve universal access to these services and are capable of long-term socio-economic growth and development.”
The project will be executed by Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Water and Energy in partnership with key stakeholders over a period of three years, beginning in 2025.
Media contact:
Mary Ajayi, Communication Specialist, Water Development and Sanitation Department, [email protected]