OFID and IWA sign grant agreement to boost capacity of water utilities in five African countries at wastewater report launch

February 27, 2018, Vienna, Austria. OFID hosted the launch of a wastewater report of the International Water Association (IWA) - The Reuse Opportunity: Cities seizing the reuse opportunity in circular economy. The report highlights both the global wastewater challenge, and the reuse opportunity in eight cities in low- and middle-income countries. See  press release E06/2018.

OFID supported the production of the Report with a grant that also helped fund the participation of 30 delegates from developing countries at the 2017 IWA Development Congress and Exhibition.

On the sidelines of the event, OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish and IWA Executive Director Professor Vairavamoorthy signed a US$400,000 grant agreement for the Implementing Climate Resilient Water Safety Planning project, which aims at improving the capacity of water utilities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Senegal to ensure the safety of water supplies and safeguard public health with increased resilience and ability to prepare for extreme weather events.

During the signing ceremony, Al-Herbish highlighted OFID?s previous grants extended to the IWA which, including the present grant, total US$1.25 million. These funds supported the participation of delegates from low and middle-income developing countries at four IWA Development Congresses and Exhibitions, as well as a recently-completed Program for Water Safety Plans Implementation in West Africa.

Al-Herbish said: "The issue of access to safe drinking water ranks very high in OFID's corporate priorities for 2016-2025. We expect the present grant to contribute to the sustainability of water and sanitation infrastructure investments in the countries concerned." He noted that the latest IWA project would complement OFID?'s financial assistance to the beneficiary countries in the water and sanitation sector.

IWA Executive Director Professor Vairavamoorthy said: "OFID's goal to support the Sustainable Development Goals and make a difference to developing countries is consistent with the values of IWA. The funding we get from OFID allows us to think out of the box and do more creative projects. We work very much in partnership to craft some important projects. It's a very important relationship."