USAID launches two WASH projects worth $90mln

Addis Ababa, November 3, 2023 (FBC) – The US Agency for International Development (USAID) today launched two new Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects worth 90 million USD in Ethiopia.

The two projects – Urban WASH and Climate Resilient WASH – were launched this morning by Asfaw Dingamo, the State Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation from the Ministry of Water and Energy, and Ervin Massinga, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Urban WASH is a five-year, $45 million project that will provide construction and technical support to accelerate access to WASH services in ten secondary cities in Ethiopia. It will focus on professionalizing municipal utilities and building up markets for WASH services like safe toilet pans and handwashing stations that anyone can afford.  The program will also help local authorities plan and budget for infrastructure in their areas, and more.

Meanwhile, Climate Resilient WASH is also a five year, $45 million project that will focus on providing similar services to underserved rural populations in Afar, Oromia, Somali, and South and Central Ethiopia Regional States, the Embassy mentioned. The program will expand climate-resilient water services for pastoral communities. It will also make sure families in these lowland areas have access to affordable sanitation and hygiene products and services, and more.

With the programs announced today, USAID expects to reach over 900,000 Ethiopians by 2028 with access to safe water and an additional 800,000 people with access to basic sanitation across Ethiopia, it was indicated.

The project will also spur tens of thousands of jobs for Ethiopians building water, hygiene and sanitation infrastructure.

“This work is very close to my heart. We know that providing our Ethiopian brothers and sisters with handwashing facilities, improved latrines, and other sanitation supplies ensures that children miss fewer days at school, and that helps families live healthier and more prosperous lives,” said Ambassador Massinga during the launching event.

The joint launch event also highlighted that Ethiopia was selected as a ‘High Priority Country’ under the U.S. Government’s Global Water Strategy. As such, USAID unveiled a new WASH High Priority Country Plan for Ethiopia, which perfectly aligns with the Government of Ethiopia’s One WASH National Program—a framework to achieve universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services in Ethiopia, the Embassy further indicated.

These projects are said to be another example of cooperation between the American people and the people of Ethiopia.