The government of Zambia and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a water and sanitation agreement worth 5 million euros for the Zambia Water and Sanitation Project.
The EU grant financing, will help the Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) implement the “Mulonga Peri-Urban Water and Sanitation Action”.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said the project will tackle the Sustainable Development Goal number 6 Access to Clean water and Improved sanitation.
“The ZWS project, including the EU financed sub-component, is all the more relevant in the Zambian context, at a time where the country has been suffering from the impact of climate change through prolonged drought and severe floods,” Fayolle said.
Fayolle said that the project will have a significant effect on Zambia’s development through its impact on health, reduced incidence of water-borne diseases and reduced child mortality and increased productivity of the relevant labour force.
Margaret Mwanakatwe, Minister of Finance, expressed her gratitude to the European Investment Bank for sharing the common desire to better the lives of people in Zambia.
“The project is fully consistent with the Zambian Vision 2030 that sets the targets of 100% access to clean water provision by 2030,” she said.
Mwanakatwe added that the Copperbelt Region is the second most populous region of Zambia, with around two million people, out of which 60% are estimated to live in low-income, peri-urban areas, where access to safe water remains typically below 40%.
“The entire project is expected to benefit 350,000 people in total, most of which will gain access to clean water for the first time, ” she said.
