European Union and European Investment Bank funded water and sanitation project to benefit a million Malawians
- Release date: 26 August 2010
- Reference: 2010-138-EN
Today, the Malawi peri-urban water and sanitation project, funded by the European Investment Bank the European Union, and the Malawi government, was inaugurated in Blantyre, Malawi. The inauguration was attended by Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Hon Richie Biswick Muheya M.P., European Union Ambassador to Malawi, Alexander Baum, and Jane Shirran, representative of the EIB's southern Africa regional office in Pretoria.
Plutarchos Sakellaris, EIB Vice President responsible for Africa said: 'The European Investment Bank is working with the Lilongwe and Blantyre Water Boards to improve access to clean water and sanitation for Malawians. This is a key project demonstrating the European Investment Bank’s strong engagement to improving the quality of life of people across Africa'.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Alexander Baum, added: 'This investment programme represents a unique combination of loan and grant funding particularly suitable for the water sector. It will significantly improve piped water and sanitation services for people living in low-income areas of Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi’s two main cities; 723,000 additional people will receive safe drinking water and 468,000 people in low-income areas will have access to basic sanitation facilities.'.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Hon. Richie Biswick Muheya MP said: “The Malawi government welcomes this landmark project and strong support from the European Investment Bank and European Union. This will significantly improve both the health and quality of life for Malawians in the country’s main cities. This is in line with the Government of Malawi’s Development priorities in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy.”
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development, Mr. Sandram Maweru said: “The Malawi peri-urban water and sanitation project will upgrade clean water provision and sanitation to international standards and improve services for citizens in Blantyre and Lilongwe for years to come.”
Today's project will include upgrading key water and sanitation infrastructure and institutional capacity-development. In addition to the two water boards, financial support will be given to local NGOs advising on project implementation. The overall programme will also include a HIV/AIDS initiative. The total project cost is €32 million and will be financed through an EU Water Facility Grant of €14.9 million, a subsidised €15.7 million loan from the European Investment Bank, technical assistance and support from the Malawi government.
Background:
Today's project falls within the framework of the ACP-EU Water Facility and the 9th European Development Fund. The facility has a budget of €500 million and was set up in 2004 with the principal ob-jective of providing water and basic sanitation to the poor and improving water management governance in the 78 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. Up until today, these funds have benefitted 14.5 million people. The EIB, the long-term lending institution of the EU, has been active in Africa for over 40 years. In 2009, the bank provided over €1.1 billion of funding to countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.
Plutarchos Sakellaris, EIB Vice President responsible for Africa said: 'The European Investment Bank is working with the Lilongwe and Blantyre Water Boards to improve access to clean water and sanitation for Malawians. This is a key project demonstrating the European Investment Bank’s strong engagement to improving the quality of life of people across Africa'.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Alexander Baum, added: 'This investment programme represents a unique combination of loan and grant funding particularly suitable for the water sector. It will significantly improve piped water and sanitation services for people living in low-income areas of Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi’s two main cities; 723,000 additional people will receive safe drinking water and 468,000 people in low-income areas will have access to basic sanitation facilities.'.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Hon. Richie Biswick Muheya MP said: “The Malawi government welcomes this landmark project and strong support from the European Investment Bank and European Union. This will significantly improve both the health and quality of life for Malawians in the country’s main cities. This is in line with the Government of Malawi’s Development priorities in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy.”
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development, Mr. Sandram Maweru said: “The Malawi peri-urban water and sanitation project will upgrade clean water provision and sanitation to international standards and improve services for citizens in Blantyre and Lilongwe for years to come.”
Today's project will include upgrading key water and sanitation infrastructure and institutional capacity-development. In addition to the two water boards, financial support will be given to local NGOs advising on project implementation. The overall programme will also include a HIV/AIDS initiative. The total project cost is €32 million and will be financed through an EU Water Facility Grant of €14.9 million, a subsidised €15.7 million loan from the European Investment Bank, technical assistance and support from the Malawi government.
Background:
Today's project falls within the framework of the ACP-EU Water Facility and the 9th European Development Fund. The facility has a budget of €500 million and was set up in 2004 with the principal ob-jective of providing water and basic sanitation to the poor and improving water management governance in the 78 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. Up until today, these funds have benefitted 14.5 million people. The EIB, the long-term lending institution of the EU, has been active in Africa for over 40 years. In 2009, the bank provided over €1.1 billion of funding to countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.
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