12 January 2012: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$ 67 million package to finance Uganda’s Water and Sanitation Programme, which will enable 2.4 million people in rural areas and small towns across Uganda to have access to improved water and sanitation by 2016.

The US$ 67 million deal, which was signed on 11 January 2012, will assist in achieving Uganda’s national goal of achieving universal access to water and sanitation services by 2035, in line with its commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Ugandan Water and Sanitation Programme is carried out under the auspices of the Joint Water and Sanitation Programme Support, which was created by the Ugandan Government to tackle gaps in the national coverage of potable water and improved sanitation. The Water and Sanitation Programme will, specifically, provide access to water and sanitation for 77% of Uganda’s rural population as well as 90% of small towns across Uganda.

The financing deal supports the achievement of the goals and objectives of the Rural Water and Sanitation Supply Initiative (RWSSI), an Africa-wide initiative led by the AfDB. The RWSSI aims to increase the access of adequate water and sanitation on the continent to 80% by 2015. [AfDB Press Release]