African Development Bank Joins Global Efforts to Ensure Universal Water Security on World Water Day

On World Water Day, the African Development Bank will join leading global stakeholders in advocating for universal water security for Africans during the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York. The three-day conference aims to assess progress and evaluate additional steps to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, ensuring universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene by 2030. Achieving this goal is seen as a significant challenge, as Africa has made less progress than expected in meeting water and sanitation targets.

Key Takeaways:

• The African Development Bank aims to increase water security for Africa by promoting equitable, sustainable use, and improved management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation, and environmental conservation.
• Dr. Beth Dunford, African Development Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, will lead a bank delegation to the conference, which includes representatives from the African Water Facility, a program hosted by the African Development Bank providing grants and technical assistance for innovative water projects across Africa.
• The bank has invested approximately $5.2 billion in water supply and sanitation projects over the past decade, resulting in improved access to water and sanitation services for 44 million people in Africa.
• The African Development Bank plans to invest about $6.4 billion in the sector over the next five years, projected to benefit an additional 54 million Africans.
• However, due to Africa's population growth rate, more investment is needed to meet demand for infrastructure and services, with African countries investing an average of 0.5% of their gross domestic product in the water sector.

Statistics:

• $5.2 billion: The African Development Bank's investment in water supply and sanitation projects over the past decade.
• 44 million: The number of people who gained access to improved water supply and sanitation services as a result of Bank investments.
• $6.4 billion: The African Development Bank's planned investment in the water sector over the next five years.
• 54 million: The additional number of Africans projected to benefit from the bank's investments in the sector.
• 0.5%: The average percentage of gross domestic product invested in the water sector by African countries.

Sources:

• African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org)
• Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development