Ethiopia, France to launch a social impact project

Addis Ababa, November, 16, 2020 (FBC) – The French Development Agency (AFD) and Ministry of Finance to launch a social impact project for water and sanitation supply of secondary cities.

A 15 million Euros grant agreement has been signed on November 16, 2020 between the Ministry of Finance (MoF) represented by Ms Yasmin Wohabrebbi, State Minister of Finance, and the French Development Agency (AFD), represented by Ms. Valerie Tehio, Country director, in the presence of Remi Marechaux, Ambassador of France in Ethiopia and to the African Union.

The grant is said to contribute to the Second Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Program (UWSSPII), financed by the World Bank, which is conceived to support the Ethiopian government’s efforts to fight against open-air defecation, to develop “safely managed” sanitation services and to improve existing water supply services in Addis Ababa and 22 secondary cities.

The program should benefit approximately 3.9 mIillion inhabitants and will specifically finance direct access to safe sanitation services and improved hygiene practices for Ethiopian citizens in selected urban areas amongst the beneficiary secondary cities.

The agreement is said crucial to intensify and extend coverage of sanitation infrastructures in an inclusive manner, expand, strengthen and implement gender action plan of the program and create employment opportunities for women in the water and sanitation service.