Team Europe will increase support for drinking water access across Senegal using a new EUR 5.55 million European Union grant, mobilised by the EIB. This additional investment grant will allow SONES to accelerate its national subsidy mechanism for drinking water connections.
The overall project will benefit more than 1.2 million people, improve public health and strengthen Senegal’s resilience to climate change.
The new European Union EUR 5.55 million investment grant to double number of subsidised water connections financed under the project was announced at the World Water Forum taking place this week in Dakar.
Amadou Hott Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation of Senegal, Irène Mingasson, Ambassador of the European Union to Senegal and Maria Shaw-Barragan, Director of the European Investment Bank, and Charles Fall, Director General at SONES confirmed the provision of the new grant.
“Investing in water is crucial for social and economic development, improving public health and tackling climate change in Senegal. Today’s commitment will further strengthen the close technical and financial cooperation between SONES, the European Investment Bank and the European Union to expand water services across our country. The EU grant announced at the World Water Forum in Dakar, together with EIB loan, will enable more than 1.2 million people in urban and suburban areas to access clean drinking water and benefit from affordable water supply.” said Amadou Hott Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation of Senegal.
“The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest international financier of water infrastructure and as such is committed to improving access to drinking water here in Senegal, along with its Team Europe partners. As the EU Bank, EIB is proud to mobilise this additional European Union investment grant that will directly benefit low-income families, providing first-time access to clean water, adapting to a changing climate and strengthening public health. Combining the EUR 5.55 million EU grant with EUR 64.5 million long-term EIB financing will both improve water supply and access to subsidised water by the most vulnerable communities.” said Ambroise Fayolle, Vice President of the European Investment Bank.
“The close cooperation between SONES and the EIB over the last 27 years has unlocked long-term more than EUR 215 million of new investment to improve water infrastructure across Senegal. We highly appreciate the EIB’s commitment to help attract other donors like the EU to scale up investment that benefits vulnerable urban communities. This new European Union grant will also support women who are responsible for domestic tasks: enable access to water that preserves privacy and allow girls to spend more time in education.” said Charles Fall, Director General at SONES.
“Africa and the European Union recognise the importance of accelerating investment to improve access to drinking water and adapt to climate change. This project will benefit Senegal and is a flagship of EU cooperation in Africa.” said Irène Mingasson, Ambassador of the European Union to Senegal
Senegal and Team Europe joining forces to transform water access
The new EUR 5.55 million European Union grant formally agreed will be used alongside a EUR 64.5 million EIB loan confirmed by Minister Hott, EIB President Werner Hoyer and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen in February 2021 to improve the supply of drinking water across Senegal.
The Team Europe financing will support investment by national water company SONES to strengthen the supply of drinking water to 634,000 people living in the cities of Saint-Louis, Kaolack and Kolda and accelerating subsidised connections across the country. The project will also enable provision of subsidised water connections for 633,000 people.
Improving water access for vulnerable communities across Senegal
The water investment programme will help Senegal to guarantee water “for all”, both in terms of quantity to cope with rapid population growth, and quality to mitigate water pollution, while promoting social and regional equity, making a significant contribution to public health policy, in full alignment with the national response to the Covid-19
Under the emergency operational measures adopted by the Bank in the context of the pandemic, the EIB will exceptionally finance above 80% of the project costs, compared with the standard maximum of 50%.
Reducing the impact of climate change
Water supply in Senegal is vulnerable to a changing climate, with a 300mm drop in average annual rainfall and 1.7 degree increase in average temperature in recent years. The new project will help to adapt water supply to climate change.
