WASHINGTON, 13 February: The World Bank Tuesday approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of 200 million US dollar for Tanzanias huge Water Sector Support Project.
This amount is part of a total 700 million dollar that the Development Partners Group – which the World Bank is a part of – will contribute to Tanzanias five-year Water Sector Development Program.
The other Development Partners who are providing financial support to the water sector include Germany, the Netherlands, France, Japan, the US (through the US Agency for International Development and the Millennium Challenge Corporation), UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, and the African Development Bank.
The Government of Tanzania will lead the process with its own contribution of 251million dollar.
– The Government of Tanzania has adopted a sector-wide approach to planning for the water sector. It has in place a forward looking National Water Policy (2002) and an accompanying National Water Development Strategy (2006) and Water Sector Development Program (2006-2025), which lay the foundations for improved integrated water resource management and establish the delivery mechanisms for accelerated water supply and sanitation services to some 12 million people over the next 5 years, says Francis Ato Brown, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the Water and Sanitation sector in Tanzania.
The Development Partners, and in particular the World Banks, involvement in the Water Sector Development Program in Tanzania is aimed at maintaining the momentum in sector reforms and developments initiated over the last decade through several on-going efforts.
– These projects have laid the foundation for decentralized rural water sewerage and sanitation in 30 out of 121 local governments, introduced commercialized utility management in 20 regional capitals and about 30 district capitals, and credited with the introduction of the principles of integrated water resources management in 3 out of 9 water basins, says Ato Brown.
– A broad-based sector support program implemented together with other Development Partners is seen by the sector practitioners as the best way to facilitate the transition towards sector wide approaches. It also supports Tanzanias efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goal targets for water supply and sanitation, as well as secure water resources for sustained economic growth and poverty reduction, says Judy OConnor, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania and Uganda.
For more information on the World Bank in Tanzania visit:
www.worldbank.org/afr/tz
Kilde: Verdensbanken
