An €80m Egyptian wastewater project and a €37m water sanitation project in Senegal focus on water supply and sanitation.
WD News: The United Kingdom government has announced the launch of the first two projects under its Room 2 Run guarantee program. The projects will offer benefits to millions in their respective African countries.
Andrew Mitchell, UK Minister of State for Development and Africa, made the announcement in Sharm El Sheikh on the sidelines of the African Development Bank’s annual meetings.
Mitchell was joined by Rania Al-Mashat, Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation, African Development Bank Senior Vice President Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala and Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Oulimata Sarr.
The Room to Run Guarantee, first announced at COP-26, is a $2 billion guarantee provided to the African Development Bank by the UK with $1.6 billion in cover, and with City of London insurers covering $400 million. By partially protecting the Bank against the risk of default on some of its loans, the Room to Roam Guarantee enables the Bank to provide an additional $2 billion of climate finance to Africa by 2027, with a 50-50 split between adaptation and mitigation.
In Egypt, the Water Recycling for Agriculture – Gabel El Asfar Wastewater Treatment Project, is the largest in Africa wastewater treatment plant in terms of capacity and the second largest in the world. It produces up to 60% of the electricity it needs for running the plant.
This project aims to increase arable lands by 70,000 acres addressing the food security issues. It will also increase access to safely managed sanitation services; increase wastewater treatment plant compliance standards, and create jobs, benefitting 5 million people.
In Senegal, the Access to Safe Water and Sanitation Services to build Sustainable Resilience in Disadvantaged Areas will reach 1.45 million people, out of which 51% are women who will benefit from improved access to drinking water and sanitation.
Source & image courtesy: Afdb
